Antibody to hepatitis C virus in multiply transfused patients with thalassaemia major.
Seventeen of 73 (23.3%) multiply transfused patients with thalassaemia major (age range, 1-39 years) tested positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Eleven of the 24 patients regularly transfused in countries outside Britain were anti-HCV seropositive; only six of the 49 regularly transfused in Britain were seropositive. The incidence of anti-HBs and anti-HBc was similar to that of anti-HCV in both the British and foreign patients. The anti-HCV seropositive patients showed significantly higher plasma aspartate aminotransferase activities (AST), mean (SD) 10.2 (70.3) U/l, and serum ferritin concentrations, 4067 (2708) micrograms/l, than the anti-HCV seronegative patients (AST, 33.9 (15.6) U/l; serum ferritin 2051 (2092) U/l), respectively. Among the 36 patients who had earlier undergone liver biopsy 10 of 21 with histological features of chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis, or both, were seropositive for anti-HCV whereas only one of 15 without histological evidence of chronic viral hepatitis was seropositive for anti-HCV. It is concluded that HCV is a major cause of chronic hepatitis in patients with thalassaemia major and is associated with raised AST activity and serum ferritin concentration compared with patients seronegative for anti-HCV.
Wonke
B
B
Department of Haematology, Royal Free Hospital, London.
Hoffbrand
A V
AV
Brown
D
D
Dusheiko
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000473:pathology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D005293:Ferritins; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases