Clinical relevance of serum hepatitis C virus core protein level and antiviral therapy response / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the relationship between serum level of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein and antiviral therapy response in patients with hepatitis C. MethodsOne hundred and sixty-two consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) were retrospectively analyzed. Serum level of HCV core protein and HCV RNA were measured. Among them, 35 CHC patients treated with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)+ ribavirin (RBV) were followed up before and at week 4, 24, 48 of treatment. The correlations between serum HCV core protein level, HCV RNA and antiviral therapy were evaluated. Comparison between groups was done by t test and comparison of paired data among groups was done by analysis of variance. Results Total 162 patients were divided into six groups according to the HCV virus load: 56 with HCV virus load≤1×103 IU/mL and HCV core protein absorbance (A)=0. 100±0. 029; 9 with 1×103 IU/mL＜ HCV virus load≤1 × 104 IU/mLand A=0. 246±0. 213; 11 with 1 × 104 IU/mL＜ HCV virus load≤1 × 105 IU/mL and A=0. 235±0.179; 28 with 1×105 IU/mL＜ HCVvirusload≤1×106 IU/mL and A=0. 422±0. 319; 51 with 1 × 106 IU/mL＜ HCV virus load≤ 1 × 107 IU/mL and A = 0. 603 ± 0. 330 ; 7 with 1 × 107 IU/mL＜HCV virus load≤ 1 × 108 IU/mL and A = 0. 900± 0. 379. The HCV core protein absorbance was positively correlated with HCV RNA level (r= 0.36, P＜0.05). The HCV core protein absorbance values of 35 CHC patients before therapy, at week 4, 24, and 48 of therapy were 0. 564 ±0. 296,0. 144±0. 062, 0. 091 ±0. 035 and 0. 112±0. 103, respectively. The HCV core protein absorbance values at week 4, 24, 48 all decreased significantly compared with that before therapy (t= 8. 563,9. 195, 9. 250; all P＜0.05), and there was significant difference between those at week 4 and week 24 (t=4. 301, P＜0.05). Conclusion Serum HCV core protein level is closely correlated with HCV viral load during HCV infection process and antiviral treatment.