@Article{Szymanek-Pasternak2016,
journal="Clinical and Experimental Hepatology",
issn="2392-1099",
volume="2",
number="4",
year="2016",
title="The influence of anti-HBc status on the sustained virological response rate in HCV-infected patients treated with pegylated interferon alfa 2 and ribavirin",
abstract=" Aim of the study : To determine the influence of HBsAg and HBeAg negative but anti-HBc positive status on the sustained virological response (SVR) rate in HCV-infected patients treated with pegylated interferon alfa 2 (Peg-IFNα-2) and ribavirin (RBV).   Material and methods:  The study was based on the retrospective analysis of medical records of HCV-infected patients who started Peg-IFNα and RBV treatment between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2013 at the 1st and 2nd Department of Infectious Diseases of the Regional Hospital in Wrocław, Poland.   Results : Among 240 patients included in the analysis 99 were anti-HBc positive and 141 anti-HBc negative. In the genotype 1, anti-HBc positive group the SVR rate was 47% and in the anti-HBc negative group it was 42.7% (p = 0.591). In the genotype 3, anti-HBc positive group the SVR rate was 60% and in anti-HBc negative patients it was 63.2% (p = 0.79). Differences in SVR rates between anti-HBc positive and negative groups were not statistically significant. None of the anti-HBc positive patients developed reactivation of HBV infection during or in the 24 weeks following the end of treatment.   Conclusions : Anti-HBc determination does not seem to be useful in predicting treatment outcome of conventional Peg-IFNα/RBV therapy in patients infected with HCV genotypes 1 and 3.",
author="Szymanek-Pasternak, Anna
and Simon, Krzysztof A.
and Serafińska, Sylwia
and Janocha-Litwin, Justyna
and Pazgan-Simon, Monika
and Madej, Grzegorz",
pages="155--160",
doi="10.5114/ceh.2016.63873",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/ceh.2016.63873"
}