Association of IL28B genotypes with metabolic profiles and viral clearance rate in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Purpose: IL28B genotypes have a strong impact on treatment outcomes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and on-treatment viral kinetics. Since metabolic regulation and interferon response are highly integrated, metabolic profiles may play an important role in the link between IL28B genotypes and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Thus, the association of IL28B rs8099917 genotypes with metabolic profiles and the impact of metabolic profiles on hepatitis C viral kinetic parameters were examined.

Association of IL28B gene variations with mathematical modeling of viral kinetics in chronic hepatitis C patients with IFN plus ribavirin therapy.

Asian patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are known to have better virological responses to pegylated (Peg) IFN-based therapy than Western patients. Although IL28B gene polymorphisms may contribute to this difference, whether favorable hepatitis C virus (HCV) kinetics during treatment plays a role remains unclear. We enrolled 145 consecutive Taiwanese patients with CHC receiving Peg-IFN α-2a plus ribavirin for the study.