Impact of IL28B Genotype on the Early and Sustained Virologic Response in Treatment-Naive Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene that encodes interleukin (IL)-28B predict response of patients with chronic hepatitis C to antiviral therapy. We investigated the roles of polymorphisms rs12979860 and rs8099917 on the early virologic response of treatment-naive patients. METHODS: SNPs were identified by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of samples from 682 patients (genotype [GT]1 = 372, GT2/3 = 208, GT4 = 102) who were treated with 180 mu g pegylated interferon-alpha 2a and 400 or 800 mg (GT2/3, depending on the protocol) or 1000-1200 mg (GT1/4) ribavirin/day. The duration of treatment was 24 (GT2/3) or 24-72 weeks (GT1/4). RESULTS: Patients with C/C also had higher rates of rapid virologic response (RVR) (GT1, 38.3% vs 11.6%; GT4, 76.5% vs 23.5%; both P < .001) and sustained virologic responses (SVRs) (GT1, 79.1% vs 43.2%; GT4, 85.3% vs 44.1%; both P < .001). In patients with GT2/3, the RVR was more frequent in carriers of C/C (75.3% vs 52.6%, P < .01), but SVR rates were similar between those with C/C and T (80.5% vs 74.4%, P = .31). Results for rs8099917 were comparable. The positive predictive value of rs12979860 C/C for SVR was higher than that of rs8099917 T/T (80.5% vs 71.6%). Overall, RVR was the best predictor of SVR. In patients who did not have GT1, IL28B polymorphisms did not affect the SVR if RVR data were included in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: An early virologic response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin is more likely among carriers of rs12979860 C/C and rs8099917 T/T, which might underlie their high rates of SVR. Determination of the IL28B genotype and whether patients have an RVR might be used in future studies of patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4.