Genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus and Short Term Efficacy of alpha-nterferon Therapy in Patients with HCV Infection in Taegu / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been reported that the difference in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype due to genetic heterogeneity of HCV influence the clinical features, prognosis of HCV associated liver disease and response to interferon therapy. Prevalence of different genotypes of HCV may also vary between geographic areas. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the response to interferon alpha (IFN-a) therapy and HCV genotypes in patients with chronic HCV infection in Taegu and its environs. METHODS: One hundred seventy six patients known to be HCV antibody and HCV-NA positive were evaluated for HCV genotypes by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Among patients who had elevated ALT levels, 67 patients have been investigated for the role of the HCV genotype on disease outcome and the response of IFN-a therapy. RESULTS: Genotype 1b were found in 59.0% of patients (103/176), genotype 2a in 37.5% (66/176). The mode of transmission of HCV infection was guessed as transfusion in genotype 1b, but as parenteral infection in genotype 2a. According to their response to IFN-a therapy, 73 patients were divided into three groups, complete response, 18 (60%) of 30 patients with genotype 2a and 21 (48.8%) of 43 patients with genotype 1b: partial response, 5 (16.7%) of 30 patients with genotype 2a and 7 (16.2%) of 43 patients with genotype 1b: no response, 7 (23.3%) of 30 patients with genotype 2a and 15 (34.9%) of 43 patients with genotype 1b. Good response to IFN-a therapy was observed among patients group showing normal platelet count in patients with genotype 1b and normal GGT in patients with genotype 2a. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequently identified genotype was genotype 1b in Taegu and its environs, followed by genotype 2a. The HCV genotype was not a reliable predictor of response to IFN-a therapy. When a standardized regimen of IFN-a was administered, pretreatment serum platelet counts and GGT level seem to be useful predictor of IFN-a therapy in HCV infection. Further investigations are required in order to establish a correlation between viral factors and therapeutic responses.

Pyoderma Gangrenosum in Ulcerative Colitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disorder that affects the rectum and extends proximally to affect a variable extent of the colon. The major symptoms of ulcerative colitis include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, the passage of mucus, and abdominal pain. Ulcer-ative colitis also may be complicated by many local and systemic disorders as extrain-testinal manifestations. Pyoderma gangrenosum is the most severe dermatologic com-plication associated with ulcerative colitis. It is a painful , chronic, ulcerating skin disease of unknown cause. Diagnosis is clinical, there being no accepted histological diagnostic criteria. Conventional therapy is empirical, usually with high dose corticosteroids, but var-ious other agents have been tried with occasional success including topical antibiotics, cyclosporine, disodium cromoglycate, and dapsone. This patient was treated with high dose corticosteroid (prednisolone 1 mg/kg/day) and discharged with clinical improvement. So we report this case with a literature review.