The prevalence and clinical characteristics of coinfection of SENV-H among Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C patients with combination therapy of high-dose interferon-alfa and ribavirin.

Abstract

The clinical significance of coinfection of SENV-H among patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and the response to combination therapy with high-dose interferon-alpha (IFN) plus ribavirin in Taiwan are uncertain. A total of 151 (120 histologically proved) naïve CHC patients who received 6 MU IFN thrice a week plus ribavirin for 24 weeks therapy were enrolled in this study. SENV-H DNA was tested by PCR method. Of 151 patients, 29 (19.2%) were positive for SENV-H DNA. The positive SENV-H DNA was significantly associated with HCV genotype 1b than non-1b infection (69.0% versus 43.4%; P = 0.011). No other clinical, histopathological and virological factor was related to positive SENV-H DNA. After combination therapy, the rate of sustained viral response (SVR) of HCV and SENV-H were 66.9 and 78.3%, respectively. By multivariate analyses, the significant factors associated with HCV SVR after combination therapy were HCV genotype non-1b, pretreatment HCV RNA levels less than 200,000 IU/mL, and younger age. We conclude that coexistent SENV-H infection, apparently associated with HCV genotype 1b, is found among 19.2% of Taiwanese CHC patients. Both HCV and SENV-H are highly susceptible to combination therapy with high dose IFN and ribavirin and SENV-H coinfection does not affect the HCV response.

• Authors: Chia-Yen Dai, Wan-Long Chuang, Wen-Yu Chang, Shinn-Cherng Chen, Li-Po Lee, Zu-Yau Lin, Nei-Jen Hou, Ming-Yuh Hsieh, Liang-Yen Wang, Ming-Lung Yu
• Journal: Antiviral research (Antiviral Res) Vol. 64 Issue 1 Pg. 47-53 (Oct 2004) ISSN: 0166-3542 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 15451178 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• DNA, Viral
• Interferon Type I
• Recombinant Proteins
• Ribavirin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Antiviral Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Base Sequence
• Circoviridae (genetics, isolation & purification)
• Circoviridae Infections (complications, drug therapy)
• DNA, Viral (blood, genetics)
• Female
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (complications, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Interferon Type I (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Recombinant Proteins
• Ribavirin (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Taiwan
• Viremia (virology)