Pretreatment serum interferon gamma inducible protein-10 as biomarker of fibrosis and predictor of virological response in genotype 4 hepatitis C virus infection

Objective : Assess the value of baseline interferon-?-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) levels as a noninvasive maker of liver fibrosis and as a predictor of response to interferon therapy in HCV geno- type 4 infected patients. Methods : Eighty-four HCV genotype 4 infected patients were enrolled in this study. Degrees of liver fibrosis were determined and baseline IP-10 was measured in serum samples collected prior to initiation of treatment using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent as- say. Patients were followed up for 1.5 year to assess their response to antiviral therapy. Results : The baseline IP-10 levels were significantly correlated with the degree of fibrosis and had the ability to differentiate be- tween patients with mild, moderate and advanced stages of fibrosis (F0-1 : 95.24 ± 33.08 pg/ml, n = 25 ; F2 : 158.70 ± 52.74 pg/ml, n=37; F3-4: 357.45±162.18pg/ml, n=22; P<0.001). Baseline IP-10 levels were significantly lower in patients achieved Early vi- rological response (responders 134.80 ± 60.47 pg/ml, n = 60 ; non- responders 334.54 ± 168.94 pg/ml, n = 24, P < 0.001). Also baseline IP-10 levels were significantly lower in patients who became HCV RNA negative at 24 weeks of therapy (179.52±130.03pg/ml, n = 78) than non-responders (352.33 ± 132.58 pg/ml, n = 6, P = 0.002). SVR was achieved in 58/68 (85.3%) patients while 10 patients were relapsed. Baseline IP-10 levels differs significantly between patients who achieved SVR at week 24 post therapy and relapsed patients (IP10 level : SVR, 173.52 ± 125.20 pg/ml, n = 58 ; Relapsed, 216.20 ± 67.72 pg/ml, n = 10, P = 0.021). Conclusion : Baseline IP-10 level independently predicts EVR, response at week 24 during therapy and SVR. It also differentiates patients with mild fibrosis from those with moderate and advanced fibrosis. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2014, 77, 401-407).