title: Assessment of the Frequency of Autoantibodies in Chronic Viral Hepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the occurrence frequency of auto-antibodies and autoimmune diseases in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and 77 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C infection based on HBs Ag, Anti HCV, HBe Ag, Anti HBe Ag, HBV DNA, HCV RNA, liver ultrasound, and liver biopsy results as well as 48 healthy individuals were included in this study. ANA, anti dsDNA, anti LKM, Anti-SMA, AMA, C-ANCA, P-ANCA, anti-SSA, anti-SSB, anti-Scl-70, anti Jo-1, anti-U1snRNP, anti-centromere, anti-Jo-1, anti tpo, and anti tg were studied in all individuals in each study group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ANA positivity was detected in 8 (12%), 15 (19%) and 2 (4%) individuals in HBV, HCV and control groups, respectively. The difference between the groups was significant (P=0.04). Similarly, anti Tg was positive in one subject in HBV group, in 6 subjects (7%) in HCV group, and in one subject among controls, the difference being significant (P=0.04). There were no significant differences between the study groups in the frequency of other auto-antibodies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Similar to studies involving patients who received interferon and/or antiviral agents, an increased frequency of auto-antibodies was also detected in our patient group consisting of interferon and anti-viral naive subjects. The increase in the frequency of auto-antibodies reached statistical significance among individuals with HCV infection. Thus, pre-treatment assessment of auto-antibodies in newly diagnosed cases of chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection may provide beneficial information on the future occurrence of auto-immune responses in these patients.
authors: Akif Acay, Department of Internal Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.
authors: Akif
authors: A
authors: Acay
authors: Kasim Demir, Department of Gastroenterology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.
authors: Kasim
authors: K
authors: Demir
authors: Gulsah Asik, Department of Medical Microbiology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.
authors: Gulsah
authors: G
authors: Asik
authors: Havva Tunay, Department of Infectious Diseases & Clinical Microbiology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.
authors: Havva
authors: H
authors: Tunay
authors: Gursel Acarturk, Department of Gastroenterology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.
authors: Gursel
authors: G
authors: Acarturk
keywords: Autoantibodies; Autoimmune diseases; Chronic hepatitis B; Chronic hepatitis C