Cryoglobulinemia in hepatitis C virus chronic active hepatitis: effects of interferon-alpha therapy.
J Interferon Cytokine Res
; 16(8): 585-8, 1996 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8877728
ABSTRACT
We investigated the prevalence of mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) in 100 cases of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the effect of a 6-month treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). Cryoglobulins were detected on admission in 36 of 100 patients and appeared during observation in a further 18 cases. Cryocrit ranged from 0.5% to 20%. Patients with MC were older and had a higher incidence of cirrhosis than those without MC. Immunologic characterization of the cryoprecipitate showed the presence of type II in 84% of cases and type III in 16%. The patients received IFN-alpha (6 MU three times per week) for 6 months. Fifty-seven were responders (i.e., reached normal aminotransferase levels), 26 of these relapsed within 2 months after IFN withdrawal, and 30 did not relapse. After IFN-alpha treatment, cryoglobulinemia disappeared in 11 of the 21 evaluable responders, but in none of the 15 nonresponder patients (p < 0.003). The clearance of MC was associated in all cases with clearance of HCV RNA. The delayed appearance of cryoglobulinemia in responders seems to be associated with a higher probability of relapse.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Adjuvantes Imunológicos
/
Interferon-alfa
/
Hepatite C
/
Crioglobulinemia
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Hepatite Crônica
Tipo de estudo:
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
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Aged
/
Female
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Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Interferon Cytokine Res
Assunto da revista:
ALERGIA E IMUNOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
1996
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Itália