C4BQ0: a genetic marker of familial HCV-related liver cirrhosis.
METHODS
Host may have a role in the evolution of chronic HCV liver disease. We performed two cross-sectional prospective studies to evaluate the prevalence of cirrhosis in first degree relatives of patients with cirrhosis and the role of two major histocompatibility complex class III alleles BF and C4 versus HCV as risk factors for familial clustering.


RESULTS
Ninety-three (18.6%) of 500 patients with cirrhosis had at least one cirrhotic first degree relative as compared to 13 (2.6%) of 500 controls, (OR 7.38; CI 4.21-12.9). C4BQ0 was significantly more frequent in the 93 cirrhotic patients than in 93 cirrhotic controls without familiarity (Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: chi2 5.76, P = 0.016) and in 20 families with versus 20 without aggregation of HCV related cirrhosis (29.2% versus 11.3%, P = 0.001); the association C4BQ0-HCV was found almost only in cirrhotic patients with a family history of liver cirrhosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our studies support the value of C4BQ0 as a risk indicator of familial HCV related cirrhosis.
Department of Medicine and Pneumology, V Cervello Hospital, Via Trabucco 180, 90146 Palermo, Italy. lindpas@yahoo.it
L
L
Pasta
G
G
Pietrosi
C
C
Marrone
G
G
D'Amico
M
M
D'Amico
A
A
Licata
G
G
Misiano
S
S
Madonia
F
F
Mercadante
L
L
Pagliaro
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D002648:Child; D015935:Complement C4b / Q000235:genetics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
D005819:Genetic Markers; D015935:Complement C4b