title: Prevalence of antinuclear and anti-liver-kidney-microsome type-1 antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C in China.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Zhen-ru
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Hai-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wen-gang
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiao-yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; C060729:anti-liver kidney microsome antibody