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Hepatitis C virus infection and interferon therapy in patients with Down syndrome

Yoko Miyoshi1, Hitoshi Tajiri, Mariko Okaniwa

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Pediatrics International : Official Journal of the Japan Pediatric Society
|February 19, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Interferon therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection shows unfavorable outcomes in children with Down syndrome (DS). These children did not clear HCV-RNA, unlike control groups, suggesting limited treatment efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Hepatology
  • Virology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) associated liver diseases present unique clinical features in children.
  • The efficacy of interferon (IFN) therapy for HCV in pediatric Down syndrome (DS) patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To survey the characteristics of liver diseases in children with Down syndrome.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of interferon treatment in pediatric patients with Down syndrome and HCV infection.

Main Methods:

  • A questionnaire was distributed to pediatric hepatology specialists in Japan.
  • Data were collected from 11 pediatric patients with Down syndrome and chronic HCV infection.

Main Results:

  • None of the six Down syndrome patients treated with natural IFN-alpha for 24 weeks cleared HCV-RNA.
  • In contrast, 50% of age- and sex-matched control children achieved sustained HCV-RNA clearance with the same IFN regimen.
  • Baseline characteristics such as ALT levels, HCV genotype, and viral load were similar between Down syndrome patients and controls.

Conclusions:

  • Interferon therapy for HCV infection appears less favorable in pediatric patients with Down syndrome compared to those without Down syndrome.
Abstract

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