Study of anticardiolipin antibody in hepatitis C virus-positive patients

Elsayeh H (1), Abdallah N (2), Hamed NA (1), Morsi MG (3), Eldighidy A (4), Kamal HA (5)

(1) Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt; (2) Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt; (3) Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt; (4) Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt; (5) Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt.

Abstract: Several antibodies, including anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA), have been detected among chronically infected hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. The present work aimed at ascertaining the clinical significance of ACA levels among HCV infection associated with two commonly encountered diseases, thrombocytopenia and arteriovenous-shunt malfunction. Six groups were studied, 11 HCV-positive thrombocytopenic patients (group I), 14 HCV-positive non-thrombocytopenic patients (group II) and 15 healthy controls (group III), 11 anti-HCV-positive hemodialysis patients with non-functioning shunt (group IV), 14 anti-HCV-positive hemodialysis patients with patent shunt (group V) (Bain Medical Equipment Co., China) and 15 healthy controls (group VI). Anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) assay was performed on all patients and controls whereas tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) assay was carried out on thrombocytopenic patients and controls. Thrombocytopenic groups presented an inverse correlation between IgG ACA levels and both thrombocytopenia and TNF-α levels. During the follow-up period, no other clinical manifestations related to ACA were developed. Hemodialysis groups showed a significant elevation in IgG ACA levels in groups IV and V compared to the controls, with statistically higher levels in group IV than group V. Three group IV patients were hypercholesterolemic. We can conclude that induction of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α by persistent HCV infection may promote the generation of ACA. Complications of HCV, including thrombocytopenia and thrombosis in arteriovenous shunt, are more strongly correlated with IgG ACA than with IgM ACA.

Key words: hepatitis C virus, hemodialysis, anticardiolipin antibody, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank all those who helped us accomplish this work and publish it.

COPYRIGHT

© CEVAP 2011

SUBMISSION STATUS

Received: April 26, 2011.

Accepted: August 12, 2011.

Abstract published online: August 16, 2011.

Full paper published online: November 30, 2011.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

There is no conflict.

FINANCIAL SOURCE

Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, provided the infrastructure including laboratory equipments and paramedical personal. The authors purchased the chemical reagents.

ETHICS COMMITTEE APPROVAL

The present study followed the Ethical Guidelines for Conduct of Research on Human Subjects and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Alexandria University, Egypt.

CORRESPONDENCE TO

MONA GAMAL MORSI, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Alexandria University, Sultan Hussein, Al Azarita, Alexandria, Egypt. Phone: 01005171621. Email: morsirg@yahoo.com.