Analysis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA load in platelets of HCV-monoinfected patients receiving antiviral therapy
Journal Title: Annals of Hepatology - Year 2013, Vol 12, Issue 3
Abstract
[b]Introduction[/b]. Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported in extrahepatic sites such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells and platelets. Quantitation of HCV-RNA in platelets from patients under antiviral therapy has not been reported. [b]Material and methods[/b]. HCV-RNA levels in paired serum and platelet samples of 17 chronically HCV-infected patients were determined at baseline, week 12, end-of-treatment, and 24 weeks after completion of treatment with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. Quantitation of HCVRNA load was performed using COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Test v 2.0 (lower limit of detection, 25 IU/mL). The cohort predominantly consisted of female (59%) with a mean age of 50.7 ± 10.0 years. [b]Results[/b]. Measurements of HCV-RNA in relation to different timepoints of therapy revealed baseline viral load was most frequently detected in higher levels in serum than in platelets (5.6 x 104 IU/mL vs. 379.0 IU/mL; p = 0.0002), a trend also demonstrated in most samples throughout the study. HCV-RNA was also found at low levels (< 25.0-314.0 UI/mL) persistently in platelets of three patients who have lost detectable HCV-RNA in serum during antiviral therapy, resulting in virological relapse. [b]Conclusion[/b]. HCV-RNA levels are most frequently detected in higher levels in serum than in platelets, independent of timepoint of antiviral therapy. Further studies with an increase in size of the samples are needed to better evaluate whether or not patients who presented HCV-RNA at low levels in platelets after having lost detectable HCV-RNA in serum during antiviral therapy are at increased risk of relapse of HCV infection during follow-up evaluation.
Authors and Affiliations
Márcia do Espírito-Santo, Carlos Brandão-Mello, Vanessa Marques, Elisabeth Lampe, Adilson De Almeida
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP78276
- DOI -
- Views 120
- Downloads 0
Dress syndrome and fulminant hepatic failure induced by lamotrigine
Lamotrigine is a non-aromatic antiepileptic drug. Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a severe idiosyncratic reaction to drugs, especially anti-epileptic drugs. Associated clinical featu...
Suppression of trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 enhances proliferation and migration in liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma
Background and aim. Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) or tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TACSTD2) is a 36-kDa type I transmembrane glycoprotein and exerts dual functions as an oncogene and tumor su...
Clinical Findings of HCV Chronic Infection in Undocumented Immigrants and Low-Income Refugees in Three Areas of Southern Italy
Introduction and aim. In recent decades, Italy has become a land of immigration from countries suffering a socio-economic crisis. The aim of this study was to perform an organized screening to identify and offer care to...
Hepatitis C virus infection in patients and family members attending two primary care clinics in Puebla, Mexico
Background. Approximately 180 million persons (~2.8%) globally are estimated to be infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV prevalence in Mexico has been estimated to be between 1.2 and 1.4%. The aim of present work was...
Efficacy of telaprevir-based therapy in stable liver transplant patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C
Background and rationale. The REPLACE study (NCT01571583) investigated telaprevir-based triple therapy in patients whohave recurrent genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection following liver transplantation and are o...