Serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and long-term response to IFN-α2b therapy in chronic hepatitis C

We have attempted to correlate the outcome of; interferon (IFN) therapy with circulating soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and the level of viremia in a sample of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Forty-two patients were studied. Eighteen patients were maintained in long-term remission following IFN therapy, whereas 24 did not respond or relapsed, Serum concentrations of sICAM-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay, Viremia was measured by branched DNA signal amplification assay. Basal sICAM-1 was significantly higher in long-term responders than in nonresponder/relapsing patients, It was found that very high levels (>1000 ng/ml) were closely associated with long-term clinical response. A quantitative evaluation of viremia in basal conditions, which was significantly lower in long-term responders, gave completely opposite results. During treatment, sICAM-1 concentrations significantly decreased in the group of long-term responders but not in the nonresponders, sICAM-1 reduction was apparent as early as 1 month after treatment started. Serum sICAM-1 may be a useful parameter in evaluating the outcome of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection treated with IFN.