title: Smooth muscle antibodies and cryoglobulinemia are associated with advanced liver fibrosis in Brazilian hepatitis C virus carriers.
abstract: Cryoglobulinemia and non-organ-specific-autoantibody are biomarkers of autoimmunity of the chronic infection caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). In this work, we report the association between the presence of smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) and cryoglobulinemia and chronic liver disease in HCV carriers. Sixty-five untreated HCV patients, 38 women and 27 men were included in this study. Cryoglobulinemia was tested by cryoprecipitation, SMA by indirect fluorescent antibody test, and liver fibrosis and hepatocellular inflammation activity was investigated by histology of liver biopsy using the METAVIR score. The prevalence of SMA in the patients was 33.8% and cryoglobulinemia was demonstrated in 36.9% patients. Cryoglobulinemia and SMA seropositivity was associated with advanced fibrosis (p < 0.05). The presence of SMA and cryoglobulinemia was not associated with hepatocellular inflammation activity, age, carrier gender or HCV genotype. We concluded that liver biopsy should be recommended for HCV carriers that are seropositive for SMA or cryoglobulinemia.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. luis_jesuino@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Luis Jesuino de Oliveira
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto Santana de
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Ajax Mercês
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Atta
authors.forename: Maria Luiza Brito de Sousa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Atta
authors.forename: Larissa Santana de
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Jesus
authors.forename: Gabriel Menezes de
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Carolina Alves Costa
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Raymundo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paraná
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers