title: [The peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in chronic anti-HCV-positive liver disease: their significance and correlation with liver function].
abstract: To evaluate the role played by the immune system in the outcome of chronic C virus infection, we studied the peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis C and the correlation with the hepatic function assessed by the lidocaine test. To this end the peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations were enumerated by flow cytometry in 36 patients we had undergone a liver biopsy, prior the interferon therapy. The patients were classified as having severe chronic hepatitis with or without cirrhosis (17 subjects = group A) and mild/moderate chronic hepatitis without cirrhosis (19 subjects = group B). Twelve patients in group A and 9 in group B underwent the lidocaine test. The mean percentages of the lymphocyte subsets were not different in the two groups and in comparison with a standard healthy population, with the exception of okdr+ lymphocytes; they were significantly increased in group A (p = 0.04). The production of the lidocaine metabolite at 30 minutes prove, significantly decreased in patients with severe hepatic disease (p = 0.02), but there is no correlation between the decline of liver function and the peripheral increase of the okdr+ lymphocytes (r = 0.1877). It is probable that the increase in okdr+ lymphocytes, due to activated T-cells, is subordinated to the persistent viremia but it is independent of histological damage.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, USL n. 15, Caserta.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Biceglia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paceli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minerva
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: De Biasio
authors.forename: O D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: De Crescenzo
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Forte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine; C001173:monoethylglycinexylidide
vernacular_title: Sottopopolazioni linfocitarie ematiche nella malatta epatica cronica anti-HCV positiva: significato e correlazione con la funzione epatica.