Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to clarify which or how factors could influence the probability of sustained virologic response (SVR) in 24-week telaprevir-based triple combination therapy for East Asian chronic hepatitis C patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b.

METHODS: Of 140 patients who were enrolled in this study, 137 received 12-week telaprevir combined with 24-week pegylated interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin and were subjected to the analysis. Factors associated with SVR were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: Of the 137 patients, 112 (82%) achieved SVR. Of 87 patients with IL28B single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs8099917 genotype TT, 84 (97%) achieved SVR. By contrast, 28 of 50 (56%) patients with the genotype TG/GG had SVR (p=3.29×10-9 ). Fifty-three of 60 (88%) naïve patients and 50 of 54 (93%) prior relapsers achieved SVR. Nine of 13 (69%) prior partial responders and none of 10 (0%) prior null responders achieved SVR. Multivariable analysis identified four independent factors that were significantly associated with SVR: IL28B SNP rs8099917 genotype (p=6.90×10-5 ), preexistence of cirrhosis (p=3.99×10-3 ), prior treatment response (p=0.0126), and rapid virological response (p=0.0239).

CONCLUSIONS: The IL28B SNP still remained informative as a predictor of SVR to 24-week telaprevir-based triple combination therapy for East Asian patients infected with HCV genotype 1b.