title: Prevalence of hepatitis C virus in lymphoproliferative disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the prevalence of hepatitis C virus in lymphoproliferative disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case control prospective study was performed on 143 patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and 29 patients with non-hematological malignancies were taken as controls. All the patients in both groups were analyzed for various risk factors for infection with hepatitis C virus and were tested for the presence of hepatitis C virus antibody (anti HCV), cryoglobulins and rheumatoid factor antibody. Hepatitis C viremia was documented by detection of HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference for risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection in both the groups except for the increase in number of surgical procedures being carried out in the control group. There was no significant difference in the presence of rheumatoid factor antibody in both the groups and cryoglobulins were not positive in any individual. Five percent patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and 3.4% with non-hematological malignancies were positive for anti HCV. HCV RNA was detected in 29.2% cases and 31.0% in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no association between hepatitis C virus infection and lymphoproliferative disorder in our population. However, further studies are required from this region to establish any causal relationship between hepatitis C virus infection and lymphoproliferative disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bilwani
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Kakepoto
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Adil
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khurshid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies