Early decrease in serum IV-7S levels during IFN treatment predicts anti-fibrogenic effect in nonresponders with chronic hepatitis C.
BACKGROUND: We evaluated whether early changes in serum levels of fibrogenic markers during interferon (IFN) treatment can predict long-term anti-fibrogenic effects in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). METHODS: We retrospectively examined the serum levels of N-terminal peptide of type III procollagen (P-III-NP) and 7S domain of type IV collagen (IV-7S) in 56 patients with CHC who were revealed to be IFN-nonresponders. We measured these markers before (T0) and 1 month (T1) after the commencement of IFN therapy, at the end of 24 weeks' IFN therapy (T24), and 1 year (T24-1) and more than 2 years (T24-2) after the cessation of IFN therapy. We also measured these markers twice, at intervals of more than 2 years, in 43 IFN-untreated patients with CHC as controls. RESULTS: In nonresponders, both P-III-NP and IV-7S levels at T24-2 were significantly decreased compared with those at T0. P-III-NP levels at T1 were significantly decreased compared with those at T0, and remained at significantly low levels until the end of the observation period. IV-7S levels at T1 were not significantly different from those at T0. In patients whose IV-7S levels at T24-2 were decreased compared with those at T0, IV-7S levels at T1 were significantly lower than those at T0. In patients whose IV-7S levels at T24-2 were elevated or unchanged compared with those at T0, IV-7S levels at T1 were significantly higher than those at T0. In untreated patients, both P-III-NP and IV-7S levels at more than 2 years after the initial time were significantly increased compared with those at the initial time. CONCLUSIONS: An early decrease in IV-7S levels after IFN treatment is a useful indicator of anti-fibrogenic effects in nonresponders.