IP-10 Serum Level in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Patients: Relation to Fibrosis and Response to Combined Interferon/Ribavirin Therapy.

Despite the appearance of the direct acting antiviral drugs, pegylated interferon/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) still has a place in the standard of care (SOC) therapy for chronic HCV4. Studies were conducted to find an accurate prediction in response to SOC therapy. Pretreatment serum interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) is an independent predictive factor of sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV1-infected patients. To assess whether the pretreatment serum level of IP-10 influences hepatic fibrosis and PEG-IFN/RBV therapy response, a study was conducted on 88 chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients who received PEG-IFN/RBV. Patients were subjected to a pretreatment routine laboratory evaluation, liver biopsy, and serum IP-10 assessment. They were followed up for 6 months after cessation of therapy (week 72). Patients were classified into 3 groups according to their response; nonresponders, relapsers, or sustained virological responders. The relation of pretreatment IP-10 with fibrosis and response was assessed. The studied groups were matched regarding their demographic data. There was no statistically significant association between the pretreatment IP-10 level and fibrosis (P=0.86) and no relation to response was found at week 12, 24, 48, and 72 (P=0.58, 0.8, 0.47, and 0.43, respectively). Pretreatment IP-10 could not predict either fibrosis or response to PEG-IFN/RIB therapy in chronic HCV Egyptian patients.