Changes in serum lipid concentrations in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus positive hepatitis responsive or non-responsive to interferon therapy

Background: Changes in serum lipid concentrations during the administration of interferon to patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have not been fully investigated. The present study was designed to compare changes in serum lipid concentrations before, during and after interferon therapy in responders and non-responders to treatment. Methods: In total, 101 patients with chronic HCV positive hepatitis were enrolled in this study. High dose interferon alpha was given on alternate days for 6 months. Six months after the end of treatment patients were assessed for the presence or absence of HCV RNA to determine the results of interferon treatment. The time courses of changes in serum lipid concentrations were measured in all patients. Results: The total cholesterol level increased gradually during and after interferon therapy, and its pattern of change coincided with that of serum cholinesterase activity. Pretreatment serum cholesterol concentrations did not differ between responders and non-responders to interferon therapy. The serum triglyceride concentration, conversely, showed a sharp increase during interferon administration and returned to its basal level after the end of treatment. Responders to interferon therapy tended to have higher pretreatment triglyceride concentrations than did non-responders. Conclusions: We clarified that serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels showed different patterns of change during interferon therapy. (C) 2004 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.