Pegylated Interferon (PEG-INF) Plus Ribavirin Response in Patients with HCV Genotype-III in Hyderabad, Sindh

Shahzad Rasheed Qureshi^1,2*, Allah Bux Ghanghro¹, Muhammad Sadik Memon², Naila Shaikh³, Ali Muhammad Waryah⁴ & Nazakat Hussain Memon^5*

¹Institute of Biochemistry University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan
²Asian Institute of Medical Science Hyderabad, Pakistan
³Departments of Pathology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
⁴Molecular Biology & Genetics Department Medical Research Center, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
⁵Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, China

Dr. Shahzad Rasheed Qureshi, Institute of Biochemistry University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan & Dr. Nazakat Hussain Memon, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and For

Keywords: HCV; Pegylated Interferon (PEG-INF) and Ribavirin, Genotype 3

Abstract

Objective
To determine the virological response after Pegylated interferon (PEG-INF) and Ribavirin therapy, by monitoring the Hepatitis C viral load RT-PCR in chronic HCV patients’ genotype 3 in the termed of Rapid virologic response (RVR) and Sustained Virologic Response (SVR).
Material and Methods
All anti HCV antibody positive subjects, aged >18 years male and female were enrolled in the study from the Gastroenterology department Asian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) Hyderabad and Gastro-wards at Isra University Hospital Hala road Hyderabad. Quantification of HCV RNA was done by the techniques of target amplification. HCV genotype was done by Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II assay “Abbott Molecular, USA”. The patients were treated with combination of Pegylated interferon (PEG-INF) and Ribavirin, in the course of 4 weeks treatment to achieve the RVR and further 24 weeks to achieve the SVR. All the data was recorded in the proforma.
Results
Total 200 patients were includes males 54% and females 46% with mean age of 36.0±12.0 years. Majority of patients 114(57.0%) exhibited level of viral load >500000IU/mL, while 86(43.0%) patients revealed <500000>500000IU/ml showed significant impact on RVR p-value 0.009.SVR was achieved within 83%, particularly as 25.6% having viral load >500000IU/ml and 30.7% having viral load <500000IU/ml, on the basis of these findings higher viral load had negative significant impact on viral load achievement p-value 0.003.

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