Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39725828›Full record

ArticleInfectious diseases and therapy2025

Residual HCV-RNA and Elevated Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predict Poor Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C After Treatment.

Anna Wróblewska, Mateusz Gliwiński, Magda Rybicka, Małgorzata Cheba, Beata Lorenc, Piotr Trzonkowski, Krzysztof P Bielawski, Katarzyna Sikorska

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In one paragraph

Article in Infectious diseases and therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Anna WróblewskaLaboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307, Gdansk, Poland.
Mateusz GliwińskiDepartment of Medical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 7, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland.
Magda RybickaLaboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307, Gdansk, Poland.
Małgorzata ChebaPomeranian Center of Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis, Smoluchowskiego 18, 80-214, Gdansk, Poland.
Beata LorencPomeranian Center of Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis, Smoluchowskiego 18, 80-214, Gdansk, Poland.
Piotr TrzonkowskiDepartment of Medical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 7, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland.
Krzysztof P BielawskiLaboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, 80-307, Gdansk, Poland.
Katarzyna SikorskaDivision of Tropical Medicine and Epidemiology, Division of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Powstania Styczniowego 9B, 81-519, Gdynia, Poland. ksikorska@gumed.edu.pl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5678-5669

Funding

Medical University of Gdansk ST 01-30024/0006075/773/2024Medical University of Gdansk ST 01-30024/0006078/774/2024Medical University of Gdansk Support program for Experienced Researchers 2022 (second edition)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDespite achieving sustained viral response (SVR) after treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), the risk of liver disease progression and extrahepatic complications in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) remains. We aimed to determine the role of residual HCV-RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), a condition known as occult hepatitis C (OCI), and systemic inflammatory markers as predictors of long-term outcomes in patients treated with DAAs.

methodsWe followed 42 patients treated with DAAs with OCI status determined after therapy, for a median of 6.3 years. Plasma levels of 16 cytokines and chemokines were measured in samples collected 12-15 months after end of treatment. Samples from 10 patients with CHC and 8 healthy controls were used for comparison.

resultsThe presence of HCV-RNA in PBMCs correlated with adverse outcomes [odds ratio (OR) 17.6, confidence interval (CI) 1.8-175); p = 0.011], and an elevated platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was associated with mortality. Patients with residual HCV-RNA had higher levels of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22) (p = 0.026) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) (p = 0.009), but lower levels of fractalkine/CX3CL1 (p = 0.007), interferon gamma (IFNγ) (p = 0.016), IL-13 (p = 0.009), and lymphotoxin alpha (LTα) (p = 0.007) compared to those without OCI. The profile of immune mediators in patients with OCI differed more from healthy controls than from patients without OCI.

conclusionsThese findings suggest that residual HCV-RNA and elevated PLR are potential predictors of poor long-term outcomes in patients treated with DAAs, possibly linked to an altered cytokine/chemokine response.

Indexed as

Directly-acting antiviralsHCV-RNALong-term outcomesOccult hepatitis C infectionPlasma cytokinesPlatelet-to-lymphocyte ratio

Identifiers

PMID39725828
PMCPMC11782785

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.