[Mixed cryoglobulinemia in HCV mono-infected and HCV/HIV co-infected patients].
The aim of our study was to compare the prevalence of mixed cryoglobulinemia in a group of HCV positive/HIV- negative patients with respect to a group of HCV/HIV co-infected subjects. Between September 2002 and May 2003, 58 patients with proven HCV infection and 67 subjects with HIV/HCV co-infection were enrolled. Serum was assessed for detectable cryoglobulins, liver enzymes, HCV viral load and HCV genotypes. In HIV positive patients, plasma HIV RNA and CD4+ cell count were determined. A chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence of cryoglobulins in our two categories of patients. Cryoglobulinemia was detected in 14/58 HCV mono-infected patients (24.1%) and in 10/67 HCV/HIV co-infected patients (14.9%), without any significant statistical difference between the two groups (p=0.2). Only two HCV mono-infected patients complained of arthralgia. No significant correlation was found between the presence of cryoglobulinemia and ALT levels, HCV viremia and duration of HCV infection. In HIV patients circulating cryoglobulins were not correlated with plasma HIV viral load, CD4 cell count and with duration of HIV infection. In conclusion, mixed cryoglobulinemia may be detected in a similar rate in the two groups and HIV infection does not appear to play a significant role in cryoglobulin production.
Clinica di Malattie Infettive, Universita degli Studi di Foggia and Dipartimento di Laboratorio, Ospedali Riuniti di Foggia, Italy.
Gaetano
G
Scotto
Donatella Concetta
DC
Cibelli
Emilio
E
Palumbo
Annalisa
A
Sarracino
Vincenzina
V
Fazio
Pietro Elia
PE
Conte
Gioacchino
G
Angarano
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000150:complications
D012367:RNA, Viral