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KIR2DS2 as predictor of thrombocytopenia secondary to pegylated interferon-alpha therapy

Abstract

Our aim was to evaluate the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) as a marker for the development of thrombocytopenia secondary to Peg-interferon (IFN) therapy in a cohort of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients. Patients were naive to HCV treatment, receiving a first course of Peg-IFN/Ribavirin combination therapy. Total platelet count (cells ml–1) was determined at each visit, determining platelet decline from baseline to weeks 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 after starting therapy. The end point of the study was development of thrombocytopenia, defined as a platelet count of <1 50 000 cells ml–1. Fifty-eight HIV/HCV co-infected patients were included in the study, of whom 20 (34.4%) developed thrombocytopenia. The absence of KIR2DS2 was associated with higher and faster rate of thrombocytopenia (54.2% vs 22.5%; P=0.012; 6.6 vs 10.3 weeks; P=0.008). The absence of KIR2DS2 was associated with a greater decline in platelet count and development of thrombocytopenia during Peg-IFN treatment in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the project RD12/0017, integrated in the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and cofinanced by the ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). This works was also supported by Fundación Progreso y Salud de La Junta de Andalucía Project Grant (PI-0430/2012 and 0157/2011). AR-J is the recipient of a Post-Doctoral Research Extension Grant from the Fundación Progreso y Salud (Consejería de Salud, Innovación y Ciencia de la Junta de Andalucia). JAP has received a research extension grant from the Programa de Intensificación de la Actividad de Investigación del Servicio de Salud Carlos III (I3SNS).

Author contributions

AR and AR-J had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: AR-J, RG and AR. Analysis and interpretation of the data: AR-J, RG, BM-M and AR. Drafting of the manuscript: AR-J and AR. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: all authors. Statistical analysis: AR-J. Obtained funding: AR-J and AR. Administrative, technical or material support: AR-J, RG, BM-M, MF, DR-C. Study supervision: AJ-R and AR.

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Correspondence to A Rivero.

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Neither the authors nor their institution received any payment or services from a third party for any aspect of the submitted work at any time (for example, data monitoring board, study design, manuscript preparation, statistical analysis). Outside the submitted work, AR and JAP have received consulting fees from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott, Gilead, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Janssen-Cilag. He also has received lecture fees from GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, Abbott, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim and Schering-Plough. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Rivero-Juarez, A., Gonzalez, R., Frias, M. et al. KIR2DS2 as predictor of thrombocytopenia secondary to pegylated interferon-alpha therapy. Pharmacogenomics J 17, 360–365 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/tpj.2016.19

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