Effect of season and sunlight on viral kinetics during hepatitis C virus therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Rapid viral response (RVR) during antiviral treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) predicts sustained viral response (SVR). Recently, vitamin D levels have been associated with SVR. As sunlight is the most important source of vitamin D and shows seasonal variation, we evaluated the effect of season on viral kinetics during peginterferon/ribavirin-based therapy for HCV.

Methods

Consecutive HCV patients treated with peginterferon/ribavirin and boceprevir/ telaprevir (June 2011-July 2014) were included. Patients were grouped according to season when therapy was initiated (Season A: May-October and Season B: November-April) depending on hours of daily sunlight. Multiple logistic regression analysis included factors known to influence SVR to treatment. The dependent variables were undetectable viral load (VL) or VL ?15?UI/mL (VL ?15) at weeks 4, 8 and 12, end of treatment and SVR.

Results

The study included 930 patients (66.8% men; median 54?years) treated with telaprevir (n=537) or boceprevir, without (n=481) or with lead-in therapy of peginterferon/ribavirin. Baseline characteristics of patients in Season A (45.3%, n=421) and Season B groups were similar. Overall, a higher rate of RVR (23.5% vs 16.1%, p=0.005) and VL ?15 (51.0% vs 38.6%, p?0.001) was observed in patients starting treatment during Season A versus Season B. By logistic regression analysis, initiating treatment in Season A proved to be an independent predictor of RVR and VL ?15.

Conclusions

In our setting, seasonality affects viral kinetics in HCV genotype 1 patients treated with peginterferon/ribavirin-based therapy. Our findings support the hypothesis that vitamin D influences viral response to peginterferon/ribavirin-based therapy.

SUBMITTER: Hernandez-Alvarez N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5353279 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature