Characteristics of complete responders to interferon among patients with chronic hepatitis C with high serum levels of RNA

Patients with chronic hepatitis C with high serum levels of HCV RNA are less likely to show a complete response to IFN therapy than those with a low serum levels of HCV RNA. The characteristics of patients with high serum levels of HCV RNA who show a complete response to IFN therapy have not been evaluated in detail. We retrospectively analyzed the 121 patients with high serum levels of HCV RNA (greater than or equal to 1.0 Meq/ml) before IFN therapy to determine the characteristics of complete responders. A complete response to IFN was observed in 12 (9.9%) of 121 patients. There was no difference between complete responders and non-responders in age, the result of liver function tests, or liver histology. In all complete responders, pretreatment serum level of HCV RNA was less than 5.0 Meq/ml, which was significantly lower than the level in the non-responders (P < 0.01). The fluctuation of HCV RNA level less than 0.5 Meq/ml was observed in ten of the 12 complete responders. The frequency of serotype 2 was significantly higher in the complete responders compared with the non-responders (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that complete responders are rare among patients with serum levels of HCV RNA 2 5.0 Meq/ml. In planning IFN therapy, fluctuations in the HCV RNA level, as well as the serotype, should be considered. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.