Treatment responses in Asians and Caucasians with chronic hepatitis C infection

Table 1 Demographic characteristics, treatment details and treatment responses of 108 HCV genotype 1-infected Asian patients

Variables	Frequency
Countries of origin
Vietnam	43
China	34
Cambodia	19
Korea	5
Burma	3
Others	4
Gender (%)
Male	69%
Age (yr, range)	51 (22–76)
Median weight (kg, range)	64 (33-104)
Median ALT (IU/mL, range)	94 (11-558)
Extend of fibrosis (%)
Bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis	21%
Treatment regimen (%)
Pegylated interferon + Ribavirin	89%
Interferon + Ribavirin	11%
Dose reduction of either drug	33%
Dose interruption of either drug	11%
Treatment responses (%)
End of treatment virological response	77%
SVR	67%

Table 2 Univariate analysis of 108 HCV genotype 1-infected Asian patients: Predictors of SVR

Variables	OR (95% CI)	P-value
Gender (male)	0.77 (0.32-1.85)	0.55
Age (yr)	1.02 (0.99-1.06)	0.20
Weight (kg)	0.98 (0.95-1.06)	0.41
Pegylated interferon vs standard interferon	1.00 (0.28-3.57)	0.99
Treatment naïve	0.49 (0.22-1.12)	0.09
Dose reduction not required	1.45 (0.65-3.34)	0.39
Dose interruption not required	1.50 (0.44-5.10)	0.52
Absence of bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis	1.57 (0.61-4.07)	0.35

Table 3 Comparison of the demographic characteristics and treatment details of the matched Asian and Caucasian patients

Variables	Asians	Caucasians	P-value
Age (yr, range)	47 (28-64)	46 (30-61)	Matched
Gender	70% male	70% male	Matched
Weight (kg)
< 75	82%	42%	< 0.01
> 75	18%	58%
Alcohol intake
Minimal intake	86%	71%	0.12
Significant intake	14%	29%
Liver fibrosis
Minimal injury	48 (75%)	48 (75%)	Matched
Bridging fibrosis/Cirrhosis	16 (25%)	16 (25%)
Treatment naïve	80%	91%	NS
Peginterferon + Ribavirin	83%	88%	NS
Dose modification	30%	28%	NS
Dose interruption	8%	10%	NS

Table 4 Univariate analysis of predictors of SVR on matched HCV genotype 1-infected Asians and Caucasians

Variables	OR (95% CI)	P-value
Ethnicity (Asians)	4.92 (2.32-10.50)	< 0.001
Gender (male)	0.83 (0.39-1.79)	0.64
Age (per year)	1.04 (1.00-1.96)	0.061
Weight (< 75 kg)	2.59 (1.20-5.61)	0.016
Minimal alcohol intake	3.20 (1.17-8.73)	0.023
Peginterferon vs standard interferon	1.10 (0.42-2.92)	0.84
Treatment naïve	0.77 (0.29-2.04)	0.60
Dose reduction not required	1.04 (0.48-2.23)	0.93
Dose interruption not required	2.31 (0.64-8.33)	0.20
Absence of bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis	1.80 (0.80-4.04)	0.15

Table 5 Effects of ethnicity on SVR after adjusting for individual unmatched variables

	Adjusted OR (95% CI)	P-value
Weight (< 75 kg)	4.64 (1.97-10.94)	< 0.001
Minimal alcohol intake	2.74 (0.97-7.75)	0.057
Pegylated interferon vs standard interferon	5.01 (2.35-10.71)	< 0.001
Treatment naïve	5.01 (2.32-10.81)	< 0.001
Dose reduction not required	4.94 (2.32-10.50)	< 0.001
Dose interruption not required	4.84 (2.26-10.38)	< 0.001