Detection Of Serum Autoantibodies In Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection And Its Significance

Objective: To analyze the positive rate of serum autoantibodies in patients withchronic hepatitis C virus infection and its clinical significance. Methods: Selected119patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection in outpatient clinics and wards of theSecond Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from October2010to October2012as the study group. The control group were40healthy people who taken healthphysical examination in our hospital at the period time, excluding viral infections andautoimmune diseases. Tested antinuclear antihodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor(RF), andanti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies(anti-ENA), Compared the positive rates. Andexplored the relationship between the autoantibodies and age, gender, nationality, liverfunction markers, HCV replication. Results: Autoantibodies were detected in64individuals with HCV infection (at least one of them was positive), with the positive rateof53.8%. Autoantibodies were detected in3health-screening individuals (at least one ofthem was positive), with the positive rate of7.5%. The difference between the two groupshad statistical significance（P<0.05）. The positive rate of autoantibodies in HCV RNApositive group were64.6%and40.7%in HCV RNA negative group, the differencebetween the two groups had statistical significance（P<0.05）. The positive rate ofautoantibodies had no thing to do with genders and ethnic groups（P>0.05）,but with ageindeed（P<0.05）. the ALT,AST and TBIL in antibodies positive group were all higher thanwhich in antoantibodies negative group，the difference between the two groups hadstatistical significance（P<0.05）. Conclusions: HCV infection may induce autoimmunereaction resulting in production of autoantibodies. The positive rate of autoantibodies wasassociated age and virus reproduction. autoimmune reaction is an important factor inhepatocyte injufies in patients with HCV infection. It is necessary for the patients withHCV infection to detect the autoantibodies.