USEFULNESS OF HCV-RNA COUNTS BY THE METHOD OF HCV-BDNA PROBE IN INTERFERON RETREATMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH HCV-RNA POSITIVE CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C

The objective of this study was to determine how HCV-RNA counts before interferon (IFN) retreatment influence patient response. We retrospectively studied 60 consecutive Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C. HCV-RNA counts were determined by a new assay; HCV-branched DNA (HCV-bDNA) probe. In this study, 60 patients were retreated with alpha interferon. Two patients were withdrawn because of side effects. In regard to the HCV-RNA level between before the first IFN treatment and before IFN retreatment, HCV-RNA level was not significantly different in 74.1% (43/58) of patients. Out of 58 patients, nine (15.5%) had complete response with normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and undetectable HCV-RNA more than 6 months after the completion of retreatment. Out of seven patients with a HCV-RNA level less than 0.5 Meq/ml before IFN retreatment, three (42.9%) had a complete response. On the other hand, out of 17 patients with HCV-RNA level more than 10 Meq/ml before IFN retreatment, there were none with st complete response. These results indicate that a complete response to readministration of interferon is related to HCV-RNA level before interferon retreatment.