TY - JOUR
T1 - Plasma/erythrocyte ribavirin x100 ratio as an indicator of sustained virological response in HCV genotype 1 patients with early virological response
AU - Baiocchi, Leonardo
AU - De Leonardis, Francesco
AU - Delle Monache, Marco
AU - Nosotti, Lorenzo
AU - Conti, Renato L.
AU - Lenci, Ilaria
AU - Carbone, Marco
AU - Di Paolo, Daniele
AU - Cucchiarelli, Silvia
AU - Angelico, Mario
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Background: On-treatment predictors during antiviral therapy of HCV are useful because they allow discontinuation of an unnecessary treatment in non-responders. Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of plasma and erythrocyte ribavirin levels in predicting sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV genotype 1 patients undergoing antiviral treatment. Methods: A total of 40 HCV genotype 1 patients treated with pegylated interferon-α2a 180 μg weekly plus ribavirin 1,000 or 1,200 mg daily (according to body weight) were included in the study. Plasma and erythrocyte ribavirin levels were evaluated in all patients at week 12 by HPLC. At week 24, ribavirin levels were reassessed in those achieving early virological response (EVR). Results: A total of 27 patients achieved EVR, whereas 17 achieved SVR. There was no difference among EVR and non-EVR patients in terms of plasma and erythrocyte ribavirin concentrations at week 12. At week 24, EVR patients obtaining SVR exhibited higher mean ±SD levels of ribavirin in plasma and lower levels in erythrocytes compared with non-SVR patients (in plasma 12.8 ±10 versus 5.8 ±4 μM [P
AB - Background: On-treatment predictors during antiviral therapy of HCV are useful because they allow discontinuation of an unnecessary treatment in non-responders. Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of plasma and erythrocyte ribavirin levels in predicting sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV genotype 1 patients undergoing antiviral treatment. Methods: A total of 40 HCV genotype 1 patients treated with pegylated interferon-α2a 180 μg weekly plus ribavirin 1,000 or 1,200 mg daily (according to body weight) were included in the study. Plasma and erythrocyte ribavirin levels were evaluated in all patients at week 12 by HPLC. At week 24, ribavirin levels were reassessed in those achieving early virological response (EVR). Results: A total of 27 patients achieved EVR, whereas 17 achieved SVR. There was no difference among EVR and non-EVR patients in terms of plasma and erythrocyte ribavirin concentrations at week 12. At week 24, EVR patients obtaining SVR exhibited higher mean ±SD levels of ribavirin in plasma and lower levels in erythrocytes compared with non-SVR patients (in plasma 12.8 ±10 versus 5.8 ±4 μM [P
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U2 - 10.3851/IMP1560
DO - 10.3851/IMP1560
M3 - Article
C2 - 20587856
AN - SCOPUS:77956817303
VL - 15
SP - 633
EP - 639
JO - Antiviral Therapy
JF - Antiviral Therapy
SN - 1359-6535
IS - 4
ER -