title: Significance of IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: We assessed the correlation between the positivity for serum IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus and the activity of liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Serum samples were taken from 10 antibody to hepatitis C virus-positive asymptomatic patients with normal serum ALT levels, from 14 untreated patients with clinically and histologically proven chronic hepatitis C and from 26 patients with clinically and histologically proven chronic hepatitis C assigned to receive recombinant interferon alpha-2a (6 million IU three times a week for 6 mo). Each serum specimen was tested for IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus-associated C100-3 antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were observed for at least 12 mo. All 10 patients with normal ALT values tested negative for IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus. In contrast, 33 of 40 (82%) patients with chronic hepatitis C had IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus, and a positive correlation was seen between the ALT level and the level of IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus (r = 0.803, p less than 0.001). During interferon treatment, ALT levels declined into the normal range in 18 of 26 treated patients (69%) and remained normal after stopping treatment in 8 patients (31%). In untreated patients, in treated patients who did not respond to interferon treatment and in responder patients who relapsed, no significant changes in IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus levels were seen during the study period. In contrast, IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus became undetectable by the end of interferon treatment in seven of eight patients with a sustained response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brillanti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miglioli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; C064544:C100 protein, hepatitis C virus; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins