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©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
Role of IL28B genotype in older hepatitis C virus-infected patients
Tatsuo Kanda, Shingo Nakamoto, Shuang Wu, Osamu Yokosuka, Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
Author contributions: Kanda T drafted the manuscript; Kanda T, Nakamoto S, Wu S and Yokosuka O contributed to this paper.
Supported by Grant 24590955 for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan to Kanda T
Correspondence to: Tatsuo Kanda, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. kandat-cib@umin.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-43-2262086 Fax: +81-43-2262088
Received: July 30, 2013
Revised: September 2, 2013
Accepted: October 16, 2013
Published online: November 27, 2013
Processing time: 122 Days and 13.4 Hours
Revised: September 2, 2013
Accepted: October 16, 2013
Published online: November 27, 2013
Processing time: 122 Days and 13.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: The exact mechanisms of the effects of interleukin-28B (IL28B) genotype on the treatment response in chronic hepatitis C patients are unclear. However, IL28B genotype is useful for the continued successful treatment of older patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and avoiding adverse events. Until the eventual availability of interferon-free regimens, it is important to determine IL28B genotype before treating HCV-infected individuals, especially in the screening of older patients.