RESUMO
Background: Interferon therapy is an expensive treatment for hepatitis C virus [HCV] which may results in undesirable side effects. About 50% of chronic HCV patients do not respond to interferon [IFN] therapy for unknown reasons. It is important to determine the association of clinical parameters with IFNAR-2 in HCV patients, resistant to IFN therapy
Methods: HCV genotype 3 patients were included in study [n=20, between 30-60 age group] and categorized into two groups, the experimental group including patients responding to interferon treatment and the control group consisting of interferon resistant patients. Blood samples and Liver biopsy specimens were collected from all HCV patients. Clinical parameters included in the study were [i] pre-biopsy tests [platelet count, bleeding time, prothrombin time] [ii] HCV viral genotype 3 [iii] HCV-RNA and [iv] liver functions [ALT, ALP, and bilirubin]. Molecular investigations were carried out by using PCR and gel electrophoresis to identify IFNAR-2 in all HCV genotype 3 patients
Results: Experimental results from clinical testing of non-responder [resistant] group, showed significantly increased ALT level [64.13+/-17.48 U/L] as compared to responder group [46+/-6.3 U/L]. Hemoglobin [Hb] level was also found significantly increased in non-responder group [12.9+/-1.8 g/dL] in comparison with responder group [10.3+/-0.48 g/dL]. Further molecular testing revealed that all interferon resistant patients showed the presence of IFNAR-2
Conclusion: Experimental observations revealed that non-responder HCV genotype 3 patients showed elevated ALT and Hb levels and presence of IFNAR-2 protein. Therefore, experimental results of this study signify the importance of monitoring clinical parameters in parallel with IFN therapy in non-responder HCV patients