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Measuring HCV RNA and Assessing Virologic Response

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Chronic Hepatitis C Virus

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Abstract

HCV RNA quantification was initially used to improve our knowledge of HCV infection and related liver diseases: HCV RNA level at baseline was shown to be an independent predictor of the outcome of therapies based on the use of interferon-α; mathematical modeling of viral decay during antiviral therapy has improved our understanding of the biology of HCV infection; monitoring of HCV RNA level kinetics during IFN-α-based therapy was shown to predict the likelihood of a favorable outcome and was subsequently used to tailor treatment duration in order to optimize the results of treatment. HCV RNA quantification assays based on “real-time” PCR are now widely used. Recent data with direct acting antiviral drugs in combination with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin suggest that monitoring of viral kinetics will be useful to tailor treatment duration when these combinations are available. The future utility of HCV RNA level monitoring in interferon-free treatment regimens remains to be established.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Virology, National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis B, C and Delta, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Université Paris-Est, 51 Avenue du Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny, Créteil, 94010, France

    Jean-Michel Pawlotsky MD, PhD

  2. INSERM U955, Créteil, France

    Jean-Michel Pawlotsky MD, PhD

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  1. Jean-Michel Pawlotsky MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Jean-Michel Pawlotsky MD, PhD .

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  1. Bon Secours Health System, Liver Institute of Virginia, McManus Blvd., Suite 313 12720, Newport News, 23602, Virginia, USA

    Mitchell L. Shiffman

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Pawlotsky, JM. (2012). Measuring HCV RNA and Assessing Virologic Response. In: Shiffman, M. (eds) Chronic Hepatitis C Virus. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1192-5_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1192-5_12

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