Effect of in vitro interferon-beta administration on hepatitis C virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a predictive marker of clinical response to interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C

Table 1 Demographic characteristics and clinical response

Variable	NRa (n = 7)	PR (n = 10)	CR (n = 8)	P value
Sex (F:M)	4:3	8:2	6:2	NS
Age (mean ± SD)	57.2 ± 6.7	51.4 ± 7.2	44.4 ± 15.7	NS
Serum ALT levels
(mean ± SD)	68.5 ± 39.5	95.4 ± 67.9	90.9 ± 40.1	NS
Liver histology
Activity index
A1	4	3	1
A2	2	6	7	NS
A3	1	1	0
Fibrosis index
F1	3	5	5
F2	3	3	2	NS
F3	1	2	1
Serum viral loadb
Low	1	6	6	< 0.05
High	6	4	2
Genotype
Ib	6	7	2	< 0.05
Others	1	3	6

^aComplete response (CR): sustained loss of serum HCV-RNA and normal ALT levels, partial response (PR): disappearance of serum HCV-RNA at the end of treatment and reappearance after treatment, and no response (NR): positive serum HCV-RNA at the end of treatment.

^bhigh: ≥ 10⁸ copies/mL, low: < 10⁸ copies/mL.

Table 2 Viral load in PBMC and clinical response

Variable	NRa (n = 7)	PR (n = 10)	CR (n = 8)	P value
Viral loadb (pretreatment)
–	0	0	0
1+	0	2	1	NS
2+	7	8	7
Decrease of HCV-RNA by IFN-βc
Yes	1	9	8	< 0.05
No	6	1	0

^aComplete response (CR): sustained loss of serum HCV-RNA and normal ALT levels, partial response (PR): disappearance of serum HCV-RNA at the end of treatment and reappearance after treatment, and no response (NR): positive serum HCV-RNA at the end of treatment.

^bThe amount of HCV-RNA in PBMC was determined semi-quantitatively as follows; 2+: posi-tive after first PCR, 1+: negative after first PCR and positive after second PCR, and –: negative after first and second PCR.

^cHCV-RNA amount in PBMC was semi-quantitatively deter-mined before and after incubation with IFN-β (100 IU/L).