Does interferon and ribavirin combination therapy ameliorate growth hormone deficiency in HCV genotype-4 infected patients?

作者：Eskander Emad F^*; Abd Rabou Ahmed A; Yahya Shaymaa M M; Shaker Olfat G; Mohamed Mervat S

来源：Clinical Biochemistry, 2012, 45(1-2): 3-6.

DOI：10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2011.08.1145

• Growth hormone
• HCV genotype-4
• IFN/RBV combination therapy

Objectives: To explore the impact of response to interferon and ribavirin antiviral therapy on human growth hormone (hGH) levels in Egyptian chronic hepatitis C genotype-4 infected patients. %26lt;br%26gt;Design and methods: We studied eighty Egyptian HCV infected patients visiting outpatient clinics of Tropical Medicine and Hepatology Department, El-Kasr El-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt. HCV patients received treatment of interferon and ribavirin combination therapy for 24 weeks. Clinical, virological, histological characteristics, and biochemical tests including; liver function tests (ALT and AST), prothrombin time (In.), alpha fetoprotein (AFP), complete blood picture (CBC), and hGH were monitored in hepatitis C genotype-4 infected patients before and after interferon therapy, and healthy controls. %26lt;br%26gt;Results: Chronic HCV genotype-4 infected patients have high significant decrease of hGH as compared to healthy control individuals. In addition to, there was high significant increase of hGH in responders as compared to non-responders after treatment. %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusion: We concluded that Egyptian HCV genotype-4 infected patients have growth hormone insufficiency. Besides, we found that response to interferon/ribavirin treatment has an impact on growth hormone levels.

• 出版日期2012-1