Increase of serum amyloid A levels during the early phase of antiviral treatment predicts sustained virologic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Introduction: Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase protein, which is synthesized by the liver and induced by various inflammatory stimuli, including viral infections. SAA inhibits replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in vitro by blocking virus entry into hepatoyctes. We therefore hypothesized that SAA levels measured during the early phases of HCV-therapy predicts the success of antiviral treatment. Material and Methods: The study population comprised 35 patients with chronic hepatitis C (m/f: 20/15; mean age±SD: 42.0±8.5, range: 23–61 years). Genotype (GT)-1 was the most prevalent one in this cohort (n=17)…