(i) to characterize the profile of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL 10, Fas-ligand and transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta), chronic hepatitis C (HCV) patients with genotype 1; (ii) to determine the influence of triple therapy (TT) with interferon alpha (IFN alpha) + ribavirin + ursodeoxycholic acid on these cytokines and (iii) to establish the relationship between the pro-inflammatory cytokines and the outcome of treatment.
(i) to characterize the profile of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL 10, Fas-ligand and transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta), chronic hepatitis C (HCV) patients with genotype 1; (ii) to determine the influence of triple therapy (TT) with interferon alpha (IFN alpha) + ribavirin + ursodeoxycholic acid on these cytokines and (iii) to establish the relationship between the pro-inflammatory cytokines and the outcome of treatment.
8-OHdG reactivity was strongly correlated with body and hepatic iron storage markers in CH-C (vs serum ferritin, r = 0.615; vs hepatic total iron score, r = 0.520; vs hepatic hepcidin mRNA levels, r = 0.571), although it was related to serum HBV-DNA titers (r = 0.540) and age of patients (r = -0.559) in CH-B.
Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients achieving rapid virological response (RVR) on PEG-IFN/ribavirin (P/R) therapy have high chance of sustained virological response (SVR).
HFE mutations were seen in 47% of patients with chronic hepatitis C and in 28% of control subjects; they were related to stage and the His63Asp mutation to portal HDI.
HLA DRB1 markers do not appear to be associated with progression of disease in chronic viral hepatitis C. It is possible to perform PCR-based HLA DRB1 typing on stored frozen serum samples.
HVR1 quasispecies were assessed by single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) in 67 patients with chronic hepatitis C, including 35 with persistently normal ALT and 32 with abnormal ALT.
IFN-alpha2b monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C and persistently normal or near normal aminotransferase activity: a randomized, controlled study.
IFN-alpha2b monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C and persistently normal or near normal aminotransferase activity: a randomized, controlled study.