IL28B rs12979860 genotype and spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus in a multi-ethnic cohort of injection drug users: evidence for a supra-additive association.

Among 1369 Urban Health Study participants, we evaluated genetic models for the association of IL28B genotype (rs12979860 and rs8099917) with hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance. For rs12979860, adjusted odds ratios for spontaneous HCV clearance were as follows: IL28B-CC, 3.88 (P < .001); IL28B-CT, 1.48 (P = .08). On the basis of Akaike information criteria values and χ(2) tests, a supra-additive (quadratic) model fit these data best. Models based on rs8099917 provided poorer fit. Evidence that a supra-additive rs12979860-based model best fits the association of IL28B-genotype with HCV clearance may improve clinical prediction models and foster a better understanding of functional mechanisms underlying this association.