IL28B genotype is not useful for predicting treatment outcome in Asian chronic hepatitis B patients treated with pegylated interferon‐α. Issue 5 (25th April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Holmes, Jacinta A; Nguyen, Tin; Ratnam, Dilip; Heerasing, Neel M; Tehan, Jane V; Bonanzinga, Sara; Dev, Anouk; Bell, Sally; Pianko, Stephen; Chen, Robert; Visvanathan, Kumar; Hammond, Rachel; Iser, David; Rusli, Ferry; Sievert, William; Desmond, Paul V; Bowden, D Scott; Thompson, Alexander J
• Is Part Of: Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology. Volume 28:Issue 5(2013:May)
• Page Start: 861
• Page End: 866
• Publication Date: 2013-04-25
• Subjects: Gastroenterology -- Periodicals; Digestive organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Liver -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Gastroenterology -- Periodicals; Liver Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.33
• DOI: 10.1111/jgh.12110
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0815-9319

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jgh12110-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background and Aim</title> <p> <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype predicts response to pegylated interferon (peg‐IFN)‐based therapy in chronic hepatitis C. However, the utility of <italic>IL28B</italic> genotyping in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) cohorts treated with peg‐IFN is unclear. It was investigated whether <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype is associated with peg‐IFN treatment outcomes in a predominantly Asian CHB cohort.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgh12110-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>This was a retrospective analysis of CHB patients treated with 48 weeks of peg‐IFN monotherapy. <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype (rs12979860) was determined (TaqMan allelic discrimination kit). Baseline hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐DNA, alanine aminotransferase, and liver histology were available. The primary end‐points were HBV e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion with HBV‐DNA < 2000 IU/mL 24 weeks post‐therapy (HBeAg‐positive patients) and HBV‐DNA < 2000 IU/mL 24 weeks after peg‐IFN (HBeAg‐negative patients). The association between <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype and peg‐IFN outcomes was analyzed.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgh12110-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p> <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype was determined for 96 patients. Eighty‐eight percent were Asian, 62% were HBeAg positive, and 13% were METAVIR stage F3‐4. Median follow‐up time was 39.3 months. The majority of patients carried the CC <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype (84%). <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype did not differ according to HBeAg status. The primary end‐points were achieved in 27% of HBeAg‐positive and 61% of HBeAg‐negative patients. There was no association between <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype and the primary end‐point in either group. Furthermore, there was no difference in HBeAg loss alone, HBV surface antigen, alanine aminotransferase normalization, or on‐treatment HBV‐DNA levels according to <italic>IL28B</italic> genotype.</p> </sec> <sec id="jgh12110-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>In the context of a small possible effect size and high frequency in Asian populations, <italic>IL28B</italic> genotyping is likely to have, at best, limited clinical utility for predicting peg‐IFN treatment outcome for CHB patients in the Asia–Pacific region.</p> </sec> </abstract>