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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2013; 19(46): 8678-8686
Published online Dec 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i46.8678
Published online Dec 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i46.8678
Alanine aminotransferase normalization at week 8 predicts viral response during hepatitis C treatment
Umit Bilge Dogan, Mustafa Salih Akin, Serkan Yalaki, Departments of Gastroenterology, Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, 01140 Adana, Turkey
Author contributions: Dogan UB designed the research and wrote the paper; Dogan UB, Akin MS and Yalaki S performed the research and analyzed the data.
Correspondence to: Umit Bilge Dogan, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ege Bagtur Street, Yuregir, 01140 Adana, Turkey. ubdogan@hotmail.com
Telephone: +90-532-2280351 Fax: +90-322-2279578
Received: August 13, 2013
Revised: September 21, 2013
Accepted: September 29, 2013
Published online: December 14, 2013
Revised: September 21, 2013
Accepted: September 29, 2013
Published online: December 14, 2013
Core Tip
Core tip: Rapid virological response (RVR) has been acknowledged as a powerful on-treatment predictor of sustained virological response (SVR) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). However, RVR rates are relatively low and a new predictor is needed for CHC patients; especially those without RVR. In this context, on-treatment alanine aminotransferase (ALT) changes may be a new predictor for SVR. In this study, we found that ALT normalization at the 8 wk may be an important on-treatment predictor for CHC.