GAMMA GLUTAMYL TRANSFERASE IN PREDICTION OF E ARLY V IROLOGICAL R ESPONSE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C TREATED WITH PEGYLATED INTERFERON AND RIBAVIRIN COMBINATION THERAPY

Background: γ - glutamyl transferase (GGT) has been taken into account in the evaluation of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Aim of the work: is to evaluate GGT in prediction of early virological response ( EVR ) in patients with chronic HCV treated with pegylated Interferon (PEG INF) and ribavirin combination therapy. Patients and methods: the study included 100 treatment naive patients with chr onic HCV started PEG/ INF + r ibavirin combination therapy. Laboratory investigations including full hepatic profile, GGT, quantitative HCVRNA were done before the start of treatment with their follow up at 4 and 12 weeks of the treatment. Baseline liver bio psy and abdominal ultrasound were done for all patients. Results: GGT levels decreased significantly from week 4 to week 12. Significant positive correlation s between GGT and AST at week 0, and between GG T and AST and ALT at week 12 were found. Patients with EVR showed significant lower GGT levels at weeks 0, 4 and 12 than those without. A cutoff value of baseline GGT < 55 mg/dl was the best to predict EVR, with sensitivity of 77.8%, specificity of 87.8% . Conclusion: GGT can be us ed as a predictor of EVR to PEG INF/R ibavirin combination therapy in patients with chronic HCV