Response of chronic hepatitis C to interferon-alpha treatment and relationship with iron metabolism

to prospectively analyze the influence of iron metabolism of the response to interferon-alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

ninety-two patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with recombinant alpha-interferon were included. Basal serum levels of iron, ferritin and transferrin saturation were compared in responding and nonresponding patients. Additional epidemiologic, histologic and biochemical variables were studied as predictors of response to interferon-alpha therapy.

we studied 57 men (62%) and 35 women (35%) with a mean age of 40 years. Biopsy specimens were classified as having chronic active hepatitis (63%), chronic persistent hepatitis (33.8%) or cirrhosis (3.2%). The basal serum levels of iron and ferritin were significantly higher in non responders (126 +/- 9.1 mu/dL and 222.7 +/- 31.9 eta g/dL respectively; p < 0.05) than in responders (101 +/- 5.7 micrograms/dL and 136 +/- 24.1 eta g/dL). Mean transferrin saturation was also higher in nonresponders (29.7% +/- 2.7% vs 26% +/- 2.02%) although this difference was not significant. Younger age, absence of cirrhosis and parenteral transmission were associated with an improved response to interferon therapy. No relationship was found between the presence of iron in the hepatic parenchyma and response to interferon treatment.

elevated serum levels of iron, ferritin, or both may be associated with a worse response to interferon-alpha therapy.