Tai-An Cha

Short and long‐term effects of interferon on serum markers of hepatitis C virus replication

Abstract Hepatitis C virus RNA (HCV‐RNA) and serological markers of HCV infection were measured in 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C who had been treated with interferon (IFN). Patients were classified into four groups according to serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels after treatment. These were: as complete responders (CR); partial responders (PR); transient responders (TR); and non‐responders (NR). In all 11 patients in the CR group, HCV‐RNA disappeared from serum for at least 24 months and anti‐c100‐3 decreased progressively during this time. In the PR group, four of five patients were positive for HCV‐RNA in spite of the improvement of ALT levels and decline of anti‐c100‐3. In the TR and NR groups, HCV‐RNA disappeared transiently or remained persistently positive. The results indicate that IFN‐mediated improvement of ALT and decrease of anti‐HCV (anti‐c100‐3) were not always related to the disappearance of HCV‐RNA from serum. On the other hand, sustained disappearance of HCV‐RNA from serum was demonstrated in the patients who did not have post‐treatment ALT relapse. This indicates that IFN can eradicate HCV from serum in some patients and provide a clinical remission of chronic hepatitis C.