Keratoconjunctivitis sicca and chronic HCV infection.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) in Greek patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its association with HCV genotypes and liver histology.


METHODS
93 HCVAb (+) patients underwent lacrimal function testing (Schirmer-1 test, break-up time test and Rose-Bengal staining test) and estimation of serum cryoglobulins and autoantibodies. 80 healthy volunteers were included in the study as controls.


RESULTS
34 out of 93 HCV patients (36.6%) and eight out of 80 healthy subjects (10%) had at least two abnormal lacrimal function tests suggestive of KCS (p < 0.001), cryoglobulinemia was evident in 20 patients (21.5%), rheumatoid factor (RF) in 43 (46.2%), antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in 19 (20.4%), antinuclear antigens (anti-SS-A and anti-SS-B) in one (1.1%) and two (2.2%) patients, respectively. Reduced prevalence of KCS was found in patients with genotype 3a compared to those with other genotypes (5/30, 16.7% vs 20/42, 47.6%, p = 0.007), probably because of their younger age. In patients with KCS a higher staging score was noted in liver biopsy compared to those without KCS (4.50 +/- 1.65 vs 3.06 +/- 1.88, p = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Greek patients with chronic HCV infection have a high prevalence of KCS (36.6%). The low frequency of anti-SS-A and anti-SS-B antibodies in these patients denotes different pathogenetic associations from primary Sjogren's syndrome.
Siagris
D
D
Dept. of Internal Medicine, Patras University Hospital, Greece. dsiagris@mland.gr
Pharmakakis
N
N
Christofidou
M
M
Petropoulos
J K
JK
Vantzou
C
C
Lekkou
A
A
Gogos
C A
CA
Labropoulou-Karatza
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007638:Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000914:Antibodies, Viral