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Background  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) co‐opts very‐low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL) pathways for replication, secretion and entry into hepatocytes and associates with apolipoprotein B (apoB) in plasma. Each VLDL contains apoB‐100 and variable amounts of apolipoproteins E and C, cholesterol and triglycerides.

Aim  To determine whether baseline lipid levels predicted treatment outcome.

Methods  Retrospective analysis was performed of 250 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who had received anti‐viral agents interferon‐alpha and ribavirin; 165 had a sustained virological response (SVR). Pre‐ and post‐treatment nonfasting lipid profiles were measured and non‐high‐density lipoprotein (non‐HDL) cholesterol (i.e. apoB‐associated) was calculated. Binary logistic regression analysis assessed factors independently associated with treatment outcome.

Results  There was an independent association between …