Hepatitis C antibody and chronic liver disease in haemophilia.
A radioimmunoassay was used to detect antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in 154 patients with haemophilia. Prevalence of anti-HCV was associated with exposure to clotting factor concentrates. 76 of 129 (59%) who had received factor VIII or IX had anti-HCV: 42 of 55 (76%) who required over 10,000 units of concentrate annually had anti-HCV, compared with 34 of 74 (46%) who required less, and 0 of 25 patients who had never received concentrates. Anti-HCV were significantly more common in patients seropositive for antibodies against human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV) or with markers of previous hepatitis B infection than in those without anti-HIV or hepatitis B markers (88% vs 39% and 75% vs 46%, respectively). 5 of 23 (22%) haemophiliacs treated only with heated concentrates had anti-HCV compared with 71 of 106 (67%) patients who received unmodified products. 35 patients with chronic liver disease underwent liver biopsy: histological examination showed features associated with post-transfusion hepatitis in 24, all of whom were anti-HCV-positive; of the other 11 patients with no histological features of non-A, non-B hepatitis, 5 were anti-HCV-positive. HCV appears to be the major predisposing factor for most non-A, non-B hepatitis and chronic liver disease in haemophilia.
Makris
M
M
Department of Haematology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
Preston
F E
FE
Triger
D R
DR
Underwood
J C
JC
Choo
Q L
QL
Kuo
G
G
Houghton
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005164:Factor IX / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005176:Factor XIII / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D002836:Hemophilia B / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006518:Hepatitis Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014842:von Willebrand Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D005164:Factor IX; D005176:Factor XIII; D000410:Alanine Transaminase