Extent of Liver Injury as a Predictor of Response to Interferon Combination Therapy

Abstract

Background: To determine the value of extent of liver injury as a baseline predictor of response to conventional interferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C Genotype 3 . Methods: In this descriptive study treatment naive hepatitis C patients (n=489) underwent serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) measurement and a liver biopsy to assess for hepatic steatosis and Histology Activity Index (HAI). Six months conventional interferon plus ribavirin therapy was given to all and the significance of above mentioned parameters as predictors of response in terms of Sustained Virological Response (SVR) and End of Treatment Response (ETR) was analyzed. Chi-square test and regression analysis were used to calculate the results with a significant P value 66% and HAI > 12 predicts failure to respond.

Keywords

• Conventional interferon
• Ribavirin
• Histological Activity Index
• Steatosis
• End of Treatment Response
• Sustained Virological Response