Effects of host factors and virus factors on interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of host factors and hepatitis B virus (HBV) factors on interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB). Methods Polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers (PCR SSP) technology was used to determine human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DR and DQ alleles in 32 patients with CHB. Serum HBV DNA level was quantified by a PCR assay with a low limit of detection of 1000 copies/ml. HBV genotypes, precore(A 1896 ) and core promoter(T 1762 A 1764 ) mutations was determined by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR RFLP) analysis. Results The frequency of HLA DRB1*14 allele was higher in 10 responders to IFN treatment than in 22 non responders(20.0% v.s. 2.3%, relative risk(RR)=10.750, P =0.030); whereas that of HLA DQB1*07 is lower(10.0% v.s. 38.6%, RR=0.176, P =0.022). Pretreatment serum HBV DNA level in 10 responders was lower than that in 22 non responders (6.71?1.06 v.s. 7.59?0.56log 10 copies/ml, P =0.030). Patients with HBV genotype B infection had a higher response rate to IFN than those with HBV genotype C infection(53.8% v.s. 15.8%, P =0.049). Pretreatment serum ALT level, presences of A 1896 mutation and T 1762 A 1764 mutations had no difference between responders and non responders. Logistic multivariate analysis identified low pretreatment HBV DNA level(RR=0.212, P =0.034), presence of A 1896 mutation(RR=0.063, P =0.049) and HLA DQB1*07(RR=13.358, P =0.045) as independent factors associated with IFN antiviral response. Conclusions Low load of pretreatment serum HBV DNA and T 1762 A 1764 mutation in HBV genome or HBV of genotype B are associated with the response rate to IFN treatment in patients with CHB.