Very Low Viral Load (VLVL) Relapse Following Treatment of Naïve Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Overview

Journal Dig Dis Sci

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2011 Dec 6

PMID 22139019

Authors

John Carl Hoefs

Vikramjit S Aulakh

Bernard Joseph Ilagan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Sustained virologic response (SVR) to treatment of naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) with pegylated interferon and ribavirin is 50-60%. Patients who relapse have a poor response to re-treatment. We report a group of relapse patients with SVR to low-dose re-treatment after 6 months.

Aim: Characterization of HCV relapse patients with very low viral load (VLVL) (HCV RNA <5,000 IU/ml) 6 months after stopping full-dose initial treatment.

Methods: We identified 120 consecutive naïve patients over 4 years treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin with full-dose therapy for 24 weeks (non-genotype 1) or 48 weeks (genotype 1) with baseline liver biopsy and at least 6 months of follow-up after treatment. HCV RNA by PCR and hepatic blood tests were obtained monthly during treatment and at least 1, 3, and 6 months post treatment.

Results: Of the initially treated patients, 54.2% had SVR, 25% non-response and 20.8% relapsed. Four of 25 who relapsed (16%) and one similar patient referred to our program had HCV RNA <5,000 IU/ml 6 months after stopping treatment (VLVL relapse). Significant differences (P < 0.05) compared with the 21 other relapse patients included all five patients who were genotype 1; 4/5 had cirrhosis, baseline HCV RNA was lower, and all had SVR to less intensive re-treatment for 6 months.

Conclusion: VLVL relapse patients should be sought, because SVR to re-treatment is common despite genotype 1 cirrhosis.

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