Hepatitis C virus antibody in multiply transfused Chinese with thalassaemia major.
Thirty-four of 99 multiply transfused Chinese (49 females, 50 males) with thalassaemia major were positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus. There was no sex predominance in seropositivity with 18 females and 16 males positive. The mean (+/- SD) age and units of blood transfused were significantly higher in the seropositive patients (167 +/- 48 months, 206 +/- 82 units respectively) than the seronegative patients (113 +/- 56 months, 124 +/- 80 units respectively). The seropositive patients had higher mean (+/- SD) serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and ferritin concentrations (91 +/- 82 IU/L, 67 +/- 38 IU/L, 4797 +/- 2522 ng/ml respectively) than the seronegative patients (38 +/- 29 IU/L, 48 +/- 28 IU/L, 3620 +/- 2140 ng/ml respectively). Serum ferritin had an independent and significant effect on serum alanine aminotransferase in addition to that of seropositivity to hepatitis C virus.
Lau
Y L
YL
Department of Paediatrics, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
Chow
C B
CB
Lee
A C
AC
Ng
K W
KW
Lim
W L
WL
Chan
C F
CF
Lam
S Y
SY
Li
C K
CK
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy
D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D005293:Ferritins; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase