The summaries are free for public
use. The Chronic Liver Disease
Foundation will continue to add and
archive summaries of articles deemed
relevant to CLDF by the Board of
Trustees and its Advisors.
Abstract Details
HCV RNA viral load assessments in the era of direct-acting antivirals
Cobb B, Pockros PJ, Vilchez RA, Vierling JM. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013 Apr;108(4):471-5. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2012.248.
Source
Roche Molecular Systems Inc., Pleasanton, California, USA.
Abstract
Recent regulatory approvals of the NS3/4A protease inhibitors boceprevir and telaprevir launched a new therapeutic era for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection. Decisions to shorten, extend, or stop treatment with these direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens require accurate quantification of serum HCV RNA levels. To effectively use DAA therapies, clinicians must understand performance characteristics of HCV RNA real-time PCR assays and the clinical significance of HCV RNA that is detectable below the lower limit of quantification. This review summarizes terms used to report HCV RNA viral load results, explains the analytical performance of the PCR assay used in the clinical trials of boceprevir and telaprevir, and compares currently available commercial assays.