SUMMARY
Objective.
The aim of the study was to evaluate association between human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I and therapeutic response to interferon-.
In Croatian patients with chronic hepatitis C. Methods. HLA-A,B,C genotyping was done in 55 patients with sustained virological response and in 57 patients without sustained virological response to interferon-. therapy.
Examinees were treated in the period from 1998-2001 with interferon-. at dose of 3 million units three times a week.
Patients that after 12 weeks of therapy became hepatitis C virus RNA negative completed 48 weeks of therapy. Results.
There was no association between therapeutic outcome and frequency of HLA-A, as well as of HLA-B alleles.
HLA-Cw07 was significantly more frequent in patients with than in patients without sustained virological response (P< 0.050).
Conclusion.
In Croatian patients with chronic hepatitis C finding of HLA-Cw07 is predictor of sustained virological response to interferon-. therapy.