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Early quantification of HCV core antigen may help to determine the duration of therapy for chronic genotype 2 or 3 HCV infection

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen (coreAg) assessment for the identification of candidates for short-term therapy. Plasma samples from HCV genotype 2 or 3-infected patients participating in the NORDynamIC trial (n = 382) comparing 12 and 24 weeks of combination treatment with pegylated interferon-α2a and a fixed dose of 800 mg ribavirin daily were analyzed for coreAg. Among the 126 patients (33% of the intention-to-treat population) achieving HCV coreAg levels in plasma below 0.2 pg/mL when assayed on treatment day 3, sustained viral response (SVR) rates of 86% and 84% were achieved in the 12- and 24-week arms, respectively. Similarly, among patients having received at least 80% of the target dose of both pegylated interferon α-2a and of ribavirin for at least 80% of the target treatment duration (per-protocol analysis), the SVR rates were 89% and 95%, respectively. Twelve weeks of combination treatment may be sufficient for genotype 2 or 3-infected patients achieving HCV coreAg levels below 0.2 pg/mL by day 3, signaling a rapid clearance of HCV viremia.

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Acknowledgment

Financial support

The Swedish Society of Medicine, the Swedish Medical Research Council, the Swedish Society of Microbiology, ALF Funds (ALFGBG-143271), the Research Council at Skaraborg Hospital, and Roche affiliates in the Nordic region supported this study.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have an association that might pose a conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious Diseases/Virology, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10B, 413 46, Göteborg, Sweden

    Å. Alsiö, A. Jannesson, J. Westin, K. Hellstrand, G. Norkrans & M. Lagging

  2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

    N. Langeland & K. Mørch

  3. Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    N. Langeland & K. Mørch

  4. Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark

    C. Pedersen

  5. Department of Gastroenterology, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland

    M. Färkkilä

  6. Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark

    M. R. Buhl

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  1. Å. Alsiö
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  2. A. Jannesson
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  3. N. Langeland
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  4. C. Pedersen
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  5. M. Färkkilä
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  6. M. R. Buhl
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  7. K. Mørch
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  8. J. Westin
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  9. K. Hellstrand
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  10. G. Norkrans
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  11. M. Lagging
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for the NORDynamIC Study Group

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Correspondence to Å. Alsiö.

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Alsiö, Å., Jannesson, A., Langeland, N. et al. Early quantification of HCV core antigen may help to determine the duration of therapy for chronic genotype 2 or 3 HCV infection. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 31, 1631–1635 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1486-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1486-5

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