ABSTRACT
Background: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and IL–12B single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are confirmed to influence the natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and the response to treatment. This work aimed at evaluating the impact of SNPs in IL-10 gene at positions _1082, _819, and_592 and IL-12B gene on the response to the standard of care (SOC) treatment in Egyptian patients with chronic HCV. Methods: Eighty seven patients with chronic HCV treated by SOC therapy and 20 healthy controls were tested for SNPs in IL-10 at _1082 G/A, _819 C/T and_592 C/A and in IL- 12B (30-UTR 1188-A/C) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Patients were divided according to their virologic response into 2 groups; group Ι=patients who achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) and group Π = non responder (NR) patients. Results: SNPs of IL-10 at _1082 G/A and_819 C/T showed that; GA and TT genotypes were significantly related to SVR (P=0.001 and 0.007 respectively). IL-12 genepolymorphisms showed that; CC genotype was significantly related to SVR group (P=0.01) while AA genotype was significantly related to NR (P=0.01). Conclusions: Studying SNPs of IL-10_1082 G/A, IL-10_819 C/T and IL-12B (30-UTR 1188-C/A) proved GA, TT and CC genotypes, respectively, to be good predictors for SVR. Conversely, SNPs of IL-12 C/A proved AA genotype to be good predictor for NR.
ABSTRACT
Background: Pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) alpha in combination with weight-based doses of ribavirin is currently recommended as a standard-of-care treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the low response rate with interferon as well as the high occurrence of side effects has prompted investigators to search for other drugs which may be efficacious in the treatment of hepatitis C. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of amantadine hydrochloride versus amantadine sulphate monotherapy when administered to naïve Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C. Patients and Methods: Fifty Egyptian patients with chronic HCV were randomized to receive amantadine hydrochloride (100mg) two times daily or amantadine sulphate (100mg) two times daily for sixty days. Results: Patients treated with amantadine hydrochloride and amantadine sulphate showed highly significant reduction in serum AST and ALT levels but there was non significant reduction in HCV RNA viral load. Patients tolerate therapy well with no drop out. Conclusion: Amantadine oral therapy appears to have activity for treating hepatitis C.