Clinical significance of pretreatment serum interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 concentrations in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with telaprevir-based triple therapy

AimWe aimed to determine whether pretreatment serum interferon--inducible protein (IP)-10 concentration can predict response to telaprevir (TVR)-based triple therapy in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and to examine the effects of IP-10 concentration on liver histology. MethodsBaseline IP-10 concentrations were measured in 97 patients with genotype 1 CHC treated with TVR-based triple therapy, and the associations between baseline IP-10 and treatment outcome were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Associations between baseline serum IP-10 concentration and laboratory data and liver histological findings were also investigated. ResultsMedian IP-10 concentration in these patients was 461.83pg/mL (range, 151.35-4297.62). Multivariate analysis showed that IL28B genotype (P=0.025) and IP-10 level (P=0.004) were factors significantly predictive of rapid virological response (RVR), whereas in pretreatment factors only, IL28B genotype (P=0.001) and liver fibrosis (P=0.035) were independent predictors of sustained virological response. Using a cut-off IP-10 concentration of 460pg/mL, patients with IL28B risk allele and low IP-10 had a significantly higher RVR rate than those with high IP-10 (P=0.005). IP-10 concentration was significantly correlated with liver fibrosis (P=0.001) and inflammation activity (P=0.006) and had the highest areas under the curve for liver histological findings. ConclusionBaseline serum IP-10 level is a useful predictor of virological response in patients with genotype 1 CHC treated with TVR-based triple therapy, especially in patients with IL28B risk allele. IP-10 was well correlated with liver fibrosis and inflammation.