Clinical performances of two real-time PCR assays and bDNA/TMA to early monitor treatment outcome in patients with chronic hepatitis C

BackgroundEarly viral monitoring is essential for the management of treatment outcome in patients with chronic hepatitis C. A variety of commercially available assays are now available to quantify HCV-RNA in routine clinical practice.ObjectivesCompare the clinical results of 3 commercially available assays to evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) and the negative predictive value (NPV) of rapid virological response (RVR) at week 4 and early virological response (EVR) at week 12.Study design287 patients treated with standard care regimen combination therapy were studied. HCV-RNA values measured at baseline, week 4, week 12 with VERSANT® HCV 3.0 Assay (bDNA), and VERSANT® HCV-RNA Qualitative Assay (TMA) (bDNA/TMA); COBAS Ampliprep/COBAS/TaqMan (CAP/CTM) and Abbott m2000sp extraction/m2000rt amplification system (ART). RVR was defined as undetectable serum HCV-RNA and EVR as a ≥2 log decline in baseline viral load (BLV).ResultsMedian (range) BVLs were: 5.585(2.585–6.816), 5.189(2.792–7.747) and 4.804(2.380–6.580) log10 IU/ml, with bDNA/TMA, CAP/CTM and ART, respectively (p < 0.01); RVR was observed in 22%, 30% and 27% of the patients and PPVs were 97%, 91% and 94% with bDNA/TMA, CAP/CTM and ART, respectively (p = 0.317). EVR was observed in 76%, 73% and 67% of the patients and NPVs were 93%, 83% and 79% with bDNA/TMA, CAP/CTM and ART, respectively (p = 0.09).ConclusionsTreatment monitoring should include both detection of serum HCV-RNA at week 4 to predict SVR and at week 12 to predict non-SVR. The value of all 3 assays was similar for evaluating RVR or EVR. Because of viral load discrepancies the same assay should be used throughout patient treatment follow-up.