Changes in serum fibrogenesis markers during interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis type C

Hepatology. 1996 Jul;24(1):27-31. doi: 10.1053/jhep.1996.v24.pm0008707274.

Abstract

We serially measured the levels of serum N-terminal peptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), the 7S domain of type IV collagen (IV-7S), and hyaluronate (HA) before (0 month), at the end (6 months), and 24 weeks after the end of interferon therapy (12 months) in patients with chronic hepatitis type C to estimate the effects of interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) on serum levels of hepatic fibrogenesis markers. One hundred twenty-one patients with chronic hepatitis type C received intramuscular injection of 6 million U of natural IFN-alpha for 24 weeks. Patients were divided into three groups: sustained complete response (CR-S), complete response with rebound (CR-R), and nonresponse (NR). Serum PIIINP, IV-7S, and HA levels were significantly decreased and reached normal levels at 12 months in CR-S; only IV-7S levels were significantly decreased at 12 months in CR-R, whereas these levels remained abnormally high in the NR. These results suggest that IFN-alpha therapy could lower the levels of serum hepatic fibrogenesis markers along with improvements in hepatic inflammation.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Chronic Disease
  • Collagen / blood*
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C / blood
  • Hepatitis C / pathology
  • Hepatitis C / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronic Acid / blood*
  • Inflammation
  • Injections, Intramuscular
  • Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / blood
  • Liver Cirrhosis / diagnosis*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Necrosis
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Procollagen / blood*
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Radioimmunoassay
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Procollagen
  • RNA, Viral
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Hyaluronic Acid
  • Collagen