Serum fatty acids, antioxidants, and treatment response in hepatitis C infection: greater polyunsaturated fatty acid and antioxidant levels in hepatitis C responders.

BACKGROUND: Patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C (CHC) may exhibit impaired liver functions such as disturbances of fatty acid storage, synthesis and degradation.
OBJECTIVE: Possible associations between serum fatty acid (SFA) profiles, antioxidant status and treatment response were investigated in a trans-sectional study of untreated and treated CHC patients in comparison to a healthy control group.
METHODS: SFA composition and antioxidant status were examined in female patients with CHC: 9 were naïve to Interferon-α and ribavirin treatment (IFR), 21 sustained treatment responders, 21 were nonresponders, and 21 were healthy control group members. Additionally, in all CHC patients gammaglutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured.
RESULTS: Responders and healthy control group members had significantly higher antioxidant (P < .001), eicosapentaenoic (P < .001) and arachidonic acid (P < .004) levels, but lower stearic acid (P < .001) concentrations than non-responders and untreated patients. ALT was higher in untreated CHC patients than in treated ones (P < .028). GGT and AST did not differ significantly between patient groups, however GGT levels were associated with serum Gamma-Linolenic-Acid concentration (P = .009).
CONCLUSION: SFA profiles and antioxidant status in female CHC patients differ markedly from those of healthy controls, a phenomenon which is possibly related with their effect of HCV replication.