A comparison of the natural history and outcome of treatment for Asian and non-Asian hepatitis C-infected patients.

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J Viral Hepat. 2010 Dec 7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2010.01406.x. [Epub ahead of

print]

A comparison of the natural history and outcome of treatment for Asian and

non-Asian hepatitis C-infected patients.

Lawson A; on behalf of the Trent Hepatitis C Study Group.

Department of Hepatology, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby, UK.

Abstract

Summary.  Ethnicity is an important host variable, but its impact on disease

progression and response to therapy in Hepatitis C infection is unclear. Here we

compare the natural history and outcome of therapy in White and Asian (Indian

subcontinent) Hepatitis C infected patients. A total of 2123 White and 120 Asian

HCV infected patients were identified within the Trent HCV study. Response to

therapy was assessed in 224 White and 46 Asian patients with genotype 3

infection who received Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin. Asian patients were

more likely to be older, female, infected with genotype 3 and to consume no

alcohol. At time of first biopsy, fibrosis stage was significantly higher in

Asian patients than in Whites (3.0 ± 2.3 vs 1.8 ± 2.0, P < 0.001),

as were necro-inflammation and steatosis scores. However, in those patients

where duration of infection could be estimated, fibrosis progression was similar

for both groups (0.25 ± 0.31 vs 0.16 ± 0.54 Ishak points/year,

P = 0.068). 78.3% of Asian and 67.9% of White genotype 3 patients had a

sustained virological response following Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin.

Cirrhosis and increased levels of GGT, but not ethnicity were associated with a

reduction in the likelihood of a sustained virological response on multivariate

analysis. Asian patients with Hepatitis C are more likely to be female, less

likely to give a history of risk factors, present to medical services at an

older age, and have more severe liver disease at diagnosis, but disease

progression and response to treatment are similar to White patients.

© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

PMID: 21138506 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]