title: [Significance of anti-HBc IgM in acute hepatitis and hepatitis B associated chronic liver disease].
abstract: To determine the diagnostic value of anti-HBc IgM in acute viral hepatitis or chronic liver disease B, Anti-HBc IgM was measured by a RIA and an ELISA in 32 patients with acute hepatitis (4 with type A, 15 with type B and 13 with type non A non B), 18 patients with chronic hepatitis and 19 patients with liver cirrhosis. In acute hepatitis B, anti-HBc IgM (both RIA and ELISA) was positive in 14(93%) of 15 patients and its cut-off index value was very high. However, anti-HBc IgM was always negative in one patient with typical course of type B. In 1 of 4 patients with acute hepatitis A and 2 of 13 with non A non B, anti-HBc IgM (RIA and/or ELISA) was positive. These 3 patients were positive for anti-HBs at the onset of disease, so we could not made the diagnosis of acute hepatitis B. Anti-HBc IgM was positive in 21(51%) of 37 patients with HBsAg-positive chronic liver disease by RIA and in 11 (30%) by ELISA, and its cut-off index value was relatively low. These results suggest that when adequate cut-off index value is established, anti-HBc analysis is useful for differentiating recent and current infections from remote infections.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M