title: Hepatitis C virus and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas: an Italian multicenter case-control study.
abstract: The existence of an association between infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) remains controversial, largely because previous studies were based on prevalent case series or comparisons with less than optimal control groups. This hospital-based case-control study was conducted from January 1998 through February 2001 to evaluate the association between HCV infection and B-NHL of different types. Cases were consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of B-NHL; controls were patients from other departments of the same hospitals. Both groups were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. The prevalence of HCV infection was calculated by histologic type of B-NHL and clinical behavior (indolent or aggressive). Adjusted odds ratio (OR) and HCV-attributable risk (AR) were estimated. HCV prevalence was 17.5% among the 400 lymphoma patients and 5.6% among the 396 controls. The OR of B-NHL (patients vs controls), adjusted by age, sex, level of education, and place of birth, was 3.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-5.2); an OR indicative of positive association was found for indolent and aggressive B-NHL. The estimated AR was 4.6%. This study confirms an association between HCV and B-NHL. In Italy, 1 of 20 instances of B-NHL may be attributable to HCV infection and may, thus, benefit from antiviral treatment.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome; La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. amele@iss.it
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pulsoni
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Pellegrino
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Musto
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szklo
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sanpaolo
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iannitto
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Renzo
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Liso
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrizzi
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pusterla
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maresca
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marcucci
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mandelli
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franceschi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment