Hepatitis C virus infection in patients with leukemia.
We have studied 30 patients with acute leukemia by the second-generation assay for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) to determine the incidence of HCV infection and the impact of anti-HCV positivity on liver disease. After a complete remission, 21/30 (70%) patients were anti-HCV-positive. During chemotherapy the anti-HCV-positive patients had more severe liver disease than the anti-HCV-negative patients, and they had a higher incidence of chronic hepatitis (13/21; 62% vs. 1/9; 11%, P < 0.01). During subsequent follow-up, 15/30 (50%) patients relapsed and 15/30 (50%) patients completed the chemotherapy protocols. After a relapse 12/15 (80%) patients were anti-HCV-positive and they had more severe liver disease than the anti-HCV-negative patients. Among the patients who completed chemotherapy (n = 15), biochemical evidence of chronic hepatitis was found in 9/9 (100%) anti-HCV-positive, and 2/6 (33%) anti-HCV-negative cases during off-therapy follow-up after therapy-withdrawal (P < 0.05). These results indicate that HCV plays an important role in the etiology of chronic hepatitis which could worsen the final prognosis of successfully treated patients with leukemia.
Department of Transfusion Service, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Japan.
Y
Y
Fujii
K
K
Kaku
M
M
Tanaka
M
M
Yosizaki
T
T
Kaneko
N
N
Matumoto
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000382:microbiology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012698:Serologic Tests
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies