Quantification and genotyping of serum HCV-RNA in patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing interferon treatment

Quantification of serum HCV-RNA and HCV genotyping was studied in 27 patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing interferon treatment. Pretreatment serum HCV-RNA levels were quantified using competitive RT-PCR and compared to a quantitative RT-PCR assay based on co-amplification of HCV-RNA with a synthetic RNA standard. HCV genotyping was performed using a line probe reversed hybridisation assay or direct solid-phase sequencing. This study shows the feasibility of performing HCV-RNA quantification. RT-PCR based on co-amplification HCV-RNA titer less than 6 x 10(4) genome equivalents/ml serum did correlate with a complete sustained response to alpha interferon in chronic hepatitis C. HCV genotype 1b was alpha predominantly associated with a high non-responder rate. Future prospective trials will be required to evaluate quantitative HCV-RNA levels and HCV genotyping as response predicting parameters for interferon-treatment.