Feasibility of individualized treatment for hepatitis C patients in the real world

High post-treatment absolute monocyte count predicted hepatocellular carcinoma risk in HCV patients who failed peginterferon/ribavirin therapy

Salient studies have investigated the association between host inflammatory response and cancer. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that peripheral absolute monocyte counts (AMC) could impart an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients after a failed peginterferon/ribavirin (PR) combination therapy. A total of 723 chronic HCV-infected patients were treated with PR, of which 183 (25.3 %) patients did not achieve a sustained virological response (non-SVR). Post-treatment AMC values were measured at 6 months after end of PR treatment. Fifteen (2.8 %) of 540 patients with an SVR developed HCC during a median follow-up period of 41.4 months, and 14 (7.7 %) of 183 non-SVR patients developed HCC during a median follow-up of 36.8 months (log rank test for SVR vs. non-SVR, P = 0.002). Cox regression analysis revealed that post-treatment AFP level (HR 1.070; 95 % CI = 1.024-1.119, P = 0.003) and post-treatment aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) ≥0.5 (HR 4.401; 95 % CI = 1.463-13.233, P = 0.008) were independent variables associated with HCC development for SVR patients. For non-SVR patients, diabetes (HR 5.750; 95 % CI = 1.387-23.841, P = 0.016), post treatment AMC ≥370 mm(-3) (HR 5.805; 95 % CI = 1.268-26.573, P = 0.023), and post-treatment APRI ≥1.5 (HR 10.905; 95 % CI = 2.493-47.697, P = 0.002) were independent risks associated with HCC. In conclusion, post-treatment AMC has a role in prognostication of HCC development in HCV-infected patients who failed to achieve an SVR after PR combination therapy.

EFFICACY OF TREATMENT WITH PEGYLATED INTERFERON AND RIBAVIRIN IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HCV INFECTION “UNDER REAL LIFE“ CONDITIONS

Objective. To investigate the outcomes of combined therapy of hepatitis C (HCV) patients with peginterferon and ribavirin in ”real life” practice, to compare them with data obtained in randomized clinical trials (RCT) and to evaluate possible predictors of sustained virological response (SVR). Material and methods. The retrospective study of HCV patients routinely examined and treated in the Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos (2003−2009 yrs) was carried out. They had undergone the treatment with combination of peginterferon alfa and ribavirin according to the Lithuanian guide. Overall 203 patients were enrolled. SVR was evaluated in 179 patients. Results. The overall rate of SVR was 43 %: in 51,3 % of naives (genotype 1 − 38,8 %, genotype 2 – 100 %, genotype 3 − 82,6 % cases) and in 28,1 % of experienced patients (genotype 1 – 17 %, and genotype 3 – 64,3 % cases). Significant relations of SVR and HCV genotype was observed: 68,9 % having genotype1 were non-responders, whereas 80 % and 75,7 % ones with genotype 2 and 3 achieved SVR (p 0.005 and p = 0.01, respectively). The inverse relation with the age (p 0.01), degree of fibrosis (p = 0.039) and previous unsuccessful treatment was confirmed by multivariate analysis. Conclusions. Data of SVR obtained „on real life“ conditions are non unambiguous: SVR of naive and experienced patients overall and those with genotype 1 were similar or slightly lower, while for patients with genotype 3 significantly higher than results presented in clinical trials. Genotype 1, previous unsuccessful antiviral treatment, older age, and advanced fibrosis were strongest negative predictors for SVR.

Polymorphisms in the IFNL3/IL28B gene and hepatitis C: from adults to children

The purpose of the present review is to summarise the current knowledge on the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interferon L3 (IFNL3) gene and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children. Many studies in adults have demonstrated that genetic variation in IFNL3 is a strong predictor of the virological response in treatment-naive patients with HCV genotype 1 who were treated with Pegylated-IFN-α and ribavirin. Genetic variation in IFNL3 is also associated with the spontaneous clearance of HCV. Thus far, few paediatric studies have explored the association between variations in the IFNL3 gene and either spontaneous or treatment-induced clearance of HCV. The CC genotype of the rs12979860 SNP is associated with the spontaneous clearance of HCV in children independently of HCV genotype. Four paediatric studies have shown that both the CC genotype of the rs12979860 SNP and the TT genotype of the rs8099917 SNP are associated with the treatment-induced (IFN monotherapy and Pegylated-IFN-α and ribavirin association) clearance of HCV, while the rs12980275 SNP did not affect the virological response. The possible role of IFNL3 gene variation as a pre-treatment and on-treatment predictor of virological response in children is highly attractive but still undetermined. Further paediatric studies are needed to evaluate if testing for SNPs in IFNL3, either alone or together with other predictors of response to treatment, could be used to direct treatment strategies, including an avoidance of unnecessary protease inhibitor therapy and the duration of treatment.

Individualisation of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C

The combination of pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN)/ribavirin is currently the standard of care antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC), but optimal results require an individual approach. Key issues are to deliver doses that confer optimal antiviral efficacy against hepatitis C virus (HCV) for a time sufficient to minimise relapse. Viral monitoring during therapy guides the subsequent treatment course, particularly HCV RNA results at 4 weeks (rapid viral response [RVR]) and 12 weeks (complete early viral response [cEVR]). There is strong evidence that for most patients with genotypes 2 or 3 HCV infection, RVR allows truncation of treatment to 16 weeks, provided ribavirin dose is weight-based. However, those patients with cirrhosis, insulin resistance/diabetes or older than 50 years need 6-12 months treatment. For "difficult-to-treat" CHC (genotypes 1 and 4), RVR is infrequent (approximately 15% in European studies), but allows treatment to be truncated from 48 to 24 weeks. Without RVR, there is some evidence that longer treatment (72 weeks) improves sustained viral response (SVR). However, "induction dosing" first 12 weeks of PEG-IFN clearly does not improve SVR. To prevent dose reductions and complete therapy, it is critical to detect and treat depression and other disabling side-effects, including judicious use of growth factors for severe anemia or neutropenia and possibly, thrombocytopenia. Another potentially important aspect may be attempts to counter central obesity and insulin resistance, which confer suboptimal antiviral response with any HCV genotype. Treatment partnerships with specialist nurses, psychological therapists and other healthcare workers are also essential for optimal individual management of patients with CHC.