Nakamoto S, et al. - In view of an association between genetic variation near the interferon lambda 3 (IFNL3) and response to pegylated interferon (pegIFN) and ribavirin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, researchers examined whether this genetic variation was associated with host lipids and treatment response. Results confirmed that IFNL3 genotype was associated with hepatic steatosis as well as IFN response.

Methods

• Researchers performed a retrospective analysis of 101 Japanese patients who had underwent liver biopsy before treatment with pegIFN and ribavirin for HCV genotype 1b infection for association between IFNL3genotypes (rs8099917) and clinical factors including histopathological features of the liver.
• They defined the presence of >5% steatosis in the liver specimen as hepatic steatosis.

Results

• Researchers identified liver steatosis in forty patients (40%) before therapy.
• In this study, patients with IFNL3 minor genotype (non-TT) indicated lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (p=0.0045), higher γ-glutamyl transpeptidase level (p=0.0003) and higher prevalence of hepatic steatosis (p=0.0002).
• The presence of hepatic steatosis seemed independently associated with advanced fibrosis [odds ratio (OR) 4.63, p=0.03] and IFNL3 major genotype (OR 0.13, p=0.001).
• Multivariate analysis suggested that among the factors associated with sustained virological response IFNL3genotype was the most significant predictor.