Platelet autoantibodies are common in hepatitis C infection, irrespective of the presence of thrombocytopenia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the generation of platelet antibodies in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected individuals and their relation to the development to thrombocytopenia with the aim of using their detection as a diagnostic aid of immune thrombocytopenia in these patients.


METHODS
We tested by the monoclonal antibody-specific immobilization of platelet antigen assay (MAIPA) for the presence of platelet antibodies against specific glycoprotein (GP) targets (GPIIb/IIIa, GPIb/IX, GPIa/IIa, GPIIIb, GPV, and FcRgammaIIa) in 48 HCV-infected individuals of various stages of disease and compared the results with those from 35 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.


RESULTS
Thirty-two HCV-infected individuals (66%) had detectable platelet antibodies. The most common target was GPIIb/IIIa, but all other GP were also targets. Results were not different from patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. There was no correlation between antibodies and platelet counts, or the stage of disease, or the viral genotype, or a discernible influence of treatment with alpha-interferon.


CONCLUSIONS
While platelet autoantibodies are common in individuals with HCV infection, their detection does not assist in the diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenia.
Panzer
Simon
S
Clinic for Blood Group Serology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria. simon.panzer@meduniwien.ac.at
Seel
Esther
E
Brunner
Markus
M
Körmöczi
Günther F
GF
Schmid
Monika
M
Ferenci
Peter
P
Peck-Radosavljevic
Markus
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018955:CD36 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D039421:Integrin alpha2 / Q000097:blood; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000097:blood; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D001323:Autoantibodies; D018955:CD36 Antigens; C080568:Fc gamma receptor IIA; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex; D017452:Receptors, IgG