Antibodies to hepatitis C virus in patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia

✍ Scribed by Clodoveo Ferri; Francesco Greco; Giovanni Longombardo; Piero Palla; Adolfo Moretti; Emanuele Marzo; Pier Vittorio Fosella; Giampiero Pasero; Stefano Bombardieri

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 463 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780341221

✦ Synopsis

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCVAb) was investigated in 52 unselected patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia and in 84 patients with other systemic immunologic diseases. HCVAb were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and their specificity was evaluated by a recombinant-based immunoblot assay. The presence of HBV-related markers was investigated in the same samples. HCVAb were found in 54% of mixed cryoglobulinemia patients, and the finding was confirmed by recombinant-based immunoblot assay in all cases. HCVAb and/or HBV markers were present in 70% of the patients. HCVAb seropositivity was significantly more frequent in mixed cryoglobulinemia patients with biopsy-proven liver involvement (P < 0.01) and with increased serum transaminase levels (P < 0.01). HCVAb were virtually absent in control patients with other immunologic diseases. These results support the notion that viral agents, i.e., HCV and possibly HBV, have a role in the pathogenesis of mixed cryoglobulinemia patients.