Relationship Between Serum 2-5AS Activity and the Reduction of HCV-RNA During Interferon Therapy

The efficacy of using serum 2-5AS activity as the monitoring marker for the anti-viral effect of interferon (IFN) therapy in type C chronic hepatitis was evaluated. Thirty-seven patients were treated with IFN-α or IFN-β. HCV genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction according to the method of Okamoto et al. HCV-RNA disappeared in 22 of 37 patients (59.4%) after 28 consecutive days of IFN injection. As for HCV genotype, in types III and IV, eight of nine patients lost HCV-RNA irrespective of serum 2-5AS activity. In contrast, in type II, 13 of 27 patients lost HCV-RNA and the anti-viral effect of IFN (negativity of HCV-RNA) became apparent with a concurrent increase of serum 2-5AS activity. Thus, serum 2-5AS activity was closely related to the anti-viral effect of IFN therapy in type II HCV patients.