Prevalence of antinuclear and anti-liver-kidney-microsome type-1 antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C in China.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may induce autoimmune response and autoantibodies can be detected in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. However, the reported positive rate of autoantibodies in CHC patients in China varies considerably. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-liver-kidney-microsome type 1 autoantibodies (anti-LKM-1) in a large cohort of CHC patients, and analyzed the factors related to the presence of the autoantibodies.


METHODS
A total of 360 CHC patients were enrolled in this study. Serum ANA and anti-LKM-1 were detected by indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Clinical analysis was performed to disclose the related factors to autoantibody production.


RESULTS
The prevalence of ANA and anti-LKM-1 in CHC patients was 12.5% (45/360) and 2.5% (9/360), respectively. Women had a higher prevalence than men (18.9% vs 11.4%, P = 0.046). Patients with positive autoantibodies had lower HCV RNA levels (1.2 x 10(7) copies/L vs 7.2 x 10(7) copies/L, P < 0.05). Positive ANA was associated with higher serum globulin (P < 0.05). Stratified analysis showed that there were no significant differences in age, HCV genotype, disease course, clinical stage, prevalence of cirrhosis and interferon therapy between autoantibody-positive and -negative subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
Autoantibodies can be induced in the course of CHC, and some CHC patients can even develop autoimmune hepatitis.
Bai
Li
L
Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Feng
Zhen-ru
ZR
Lu
Hai-ying
HY
Li
Wen-gang
WG
Yu
Min
M
Xu
Xiao-yuan
XY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; C060729:anti-liver kidney microsome antibody