| Abstract | BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of interferon-alpha in the development of antiplatelet IgG antibodies in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B or C. METHODOLOGY: Ninety-one consecutive patients with chronic viral hepatitis (51 with chronic hepatitis B and 40 with chronic hepatitis C) were investigated for the presence of antiplatelet IgG antibodies in their serum immediately prior to IFN-alpha therapy and after six months of therapy. The method used was the solid phase red cell adherence test (Immucor, Norcross, USA), which is a sensitive tracer of antiplatelet antibodies. Some of the results were confirmed using an indirect immunofluorescence test for the detection of antiplatelet antibodies RESULTS: Overall, we found that antiplatelet antibodies were present in 37.54% (19/51) of patients with chronic hepatitis B before IFN-alpha therapy and in 35.29% (18/51) after therapy. Moreover, antiplatelet antibodies were found in 20% (8/40) of patients with chronic hepatitis C before and after IFN-alpha therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with IFN-alpha did not induce antiplatelet antibodies in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B or C. Thrombocytopenia observed during IFN-alpha therapy in our study was not due to the development of antiplatelet antibodies. |
| Authors | Dimitrios Christodoulou, Leonidas Christou, Eleftheria Zervou, Konstantinos Katsanos, Margarita Kitsanou, Epameinondas V Tsianos
(Affiliation: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Hepato-Gastroenterology Unit, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece.)
|
| Journal | Hepato-gastroenterology
(Hepatogastroenterology)
Vol. 54
Issue 78
Pg. 1761-5
(Sep 2007)
ISSN: 0172-6390 Greece |
| PMID | 18019713
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
|
| Chemical References |
- Antibodies
- Autoantibodies
- Immunoglobulin G
- Interferon-alpha
|
| Topics |
- Adult
- Antibodies
(chemistry)
- Autoantibodies
(blood)
- Blood Platelets
(immunology)
- Cell Adhesion
- Female
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
- Hepatitis B
(immunology, therapy)
- Hepatitis C
(immunology)
- Hepatitis, Viral, Human
(immunology)
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin G
(chemistry)
- Interferon-alpha
(therapeutic use)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Spleen
(ultrasonography)
- Thrombocytopenia
(etiology)
- Treatment Outcome
|
