SERUM FERRITIN LEVEL AS A PREDICTOR OF RESPONSE TO PEGYLATED INTERFERON / RIBAVIRIN THERAPY IN EGYPTIAN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C PATIENTS
Banha Medical Journal • 2012
Publication Information
Authors
yaser shahin, maha zein el abden, wael shahin, mohamed abd elaziz, gamal sheha
Keywords
Not Available
Journal
Banha Medical Journal
Publisher
Not Available
Volume
29. No. 3
Issue
Not Available
Pages
Not Available
publication.type
Local
Paper Link
Not Available
Supplementary Materials
Not Available
Abstract
Increased serum ferritin (SF) level has been encountered in various conditions, such as inflammatory syndromes and iron deposits in he¬patic mesenchymal cell. Interferon alpha is one of the stimulants of fer¬ritin production; serum iron level may affect the treatment response of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) . The aim of the study was to find out the rela¬tionship between SF level and response to treatment of CHC by peg in¬terferon and ribavirin. Methods: Data from 200 consecutive patients with CHC, fulfilling the criteria for treatment, were collected. Baseline SF level was measured and correlated to the therapeutic outcome. Re¬sults: Early virological response (EVR) was achieved in 84% of the pa¬tients, while Sustained Virological Response (SVR) was achieved in 53% of patients. EVR was significantly related to low viral load, fibrosis stage, alfa fetoprotein and low serum ferritin level (P=
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