[Relation between HCV genotype and serum HCV RNA level as predictors of response to interferon-alfa 2b therapy in chronic hepatitis C].

It has been reported that pre-treatment serum HCV RNA levels was important predicting factors to subsequent interferon therapy (Orito et al.). In this report, HCV genotype and serum HCV RNA level were determined using PCR and bDNA assay in patients who received interferon-alfa 2b. Patients with genotype III HCV responded more favorably in complete and sustained response than genotype II HCV. A higher proportion of patients who had low pre-treatment serum HCV RNA level responded in complete and sustained fashion. When patients with high or low level viremia were compared, significantly higher proportion of the patients with low level HCV RNA showed sustained response irrespective of HCV genotype.