Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem in Egypt. The Fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene has metabolic regulatory roles. HCV affects the signaling cascade of insulin. This study aimed to assess the relation of FTO rs9939609 polymorphisms with treatment outcomes and metabolic disturbance in HCV Egyptian patients.
The study included 200 HCV genotype 4 patients treated with triple therapy (sofosbuvir, ribavirin and interferon) for 12 weeks. The principal efficiency endpoint was sustained viral response at 12 weeks (HCV RNA < 12 IU/mL) and FTO rs9939609 gene was analyzed by real-time PCR. Fasting serum insulin and alpha-feto protein (AFP) and were measured by ELISA.
Patients response to HCV triple therapy was 93%. Stepwise logistic regression showed that the chance of non-response increases by 7.9% with every unit increase of the AFP value (OR = 1.079, 95% CI = 1.036; 1.124, P < 0.001). There was no correlation between the FTO variant and treatment outcome. There was a significant increase in HOMA-IR in non-responders compared with responder patients.
FTO rs9939609 variant is not associated with treatment outcome of HCV patients on triple therapy. However, insulin resistance and AFP levels were associated with achievement of successful virological response.