Cytokines as predictors for sustained response and as markers for immunomodulation in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Objectives: (i) To characterize serum cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF α), interleukin 6 (IL 6), IL 8 and IL 12 in non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C, (ii) to correlate the levels of these cytokines with the degree of the disease at the basal level, (iii) to correlate these levels with the response to therapy, (iv) to compare profiles of cytokines in monotherapy (MT) versus combination therapy (CT), and (v) to compare the immunomodulatory effects of MT versus CT.