Relationship between antibodies to hepatitis C virus core+1 protein and treatment outcome.

Background: It has been suggested that hepatitis C virus (HCV) core+1 protein plays a crucial role in the viral life cycle, potentially affecting liver cirrhosis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: To investigate its relationship with the outcome of HCV standard combination therapy with peginterferon-α plus ribavirin, we screened 139 consecutive HCV patients (119 with chronic HCV infection and 20 who spontaneously cleared HCV) for the presence of anti-core+1 antibodies (Abs). In addition, liver fibrosis was determined by FibroScan in all but one patients.