TY - JOUR
T1 - Serum immunoglobulins predict the extent of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
AU - Watt, K.
AU - Uhanova, J.
AU - Gong, Y.
AU - Kaita, K.
AU - Doucette, K.
AU - Pettigrew, N.
AU - Minuk, G. Y.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2004/5
Y1 - 2004/5
N2 - Recently, we documented that immunoglobulins stimulate the proliferative activity of rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro. The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is any association between serum immunoglobulin levels and hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Charts from 116 patients with biochemical, serologic, virologic and histologic evidence of chronic hepatitis C infection and serum immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, IgM and total) were reviewed. The mean (±SD) age of the study population was 46 ± 11 years and 67 (58%) were male. There were significant correlations between serum IgA (r = 0.39, P = 0.00001), IgG (r = 0.49, P = 0.000002) and total (r = 0.51, P = 0.000003) immunoglobulin levels and the stage of hepatic fibrosis. When serum immunoglobulin levels were included into logistic regression analysis with variables known to be associated with advanced disease (male gender, age >40 years at onset of infection, duration of infection beyond 20 years and concurrent alcohol abuse) only IgA, IgG and total immunoglobulin levels (P < 0.05, <0.05 and <0.005, respectively) emerged as independent predictors of hepatic fibrosis. Our data indicate a strong association between serum immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG and total) and hepatic fibrosis in patients with HCV infection. This finding supports the need to further investigate whether immunoglobulins independently promote disease progression in patients with chronic HCV infection.
AB - Recently, we documented that immunoglobulins stimulate the proliferative activity of rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro. The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is any association between serum immunoglobulin levels and hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Charts from 116 patients with biochemical, serologic, virologic and histologic evidence of chronic hepatitis C infection and serum immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, IgM and total) were reviewed. The mean (±SD) age of the study population was 46 ± 11 years and 67 (58%) were male. There were significant correlations between serum IgA (r = 0.39, P = 0.00001), IgG (r = 0.49, P = 0.000002) and total (r = 0.51, P = 0.000003) immunoglobulin levels and the stage of hepatic fibrosis. When serum immunoglobulin levels were included into logistic regression analysis with variables known to be associated with advanced disease (male gender, age >40 years at onset of infection, duration of infection beyond 20 years and concurrent alcohol abuse) only IgA, IgG and total immunoglobulin levels (P < 0.05, <0.05 and <0.005, respectively) emerged as independent predictors of hepatic fibrosis. Our data indicate a strong association between serum immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG and total) and hepatic fibrosis in patients with HCV infection. This finding supports the need to further investigate whether immunoglobulins independently promote disease progression in patients with chronic HCV infection.
KW - Cirrhosis
KW - Fibrogenesis
KW - Hepatic stellate cells
KW - Hepatitis C virus
KW - Immunoglobulins
KW - Inflammation
KW - Liver disease
KW - Myofibroblasts
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00507.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00507.x
M3 - Review article
C2 - 15117327
AN - SCOPUS:2442710351
SN - 1352-0504
VL - 11
SP - 251
EP - 256
JO - Journal of viral hepatitis
JF - Journal of viral hepatitis
IS - 3
ER -