Serum immunoglobulins predict the extent of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Abstract

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.

Inflammatory Biomarkers and Liver Histopathology in Non-Uremic and Uremic Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

“…Maruyama et al (21), reported a correlation between serum IgG levels and the severity of the disease in 102 patients with cHepC and significant decrease in levels by treatment. Gonzàlez-Quintela et al and Watt et al also described significantly higher levels of IgG and IgA in patients with cHepC (22,23). Our results further confirm these studies: significantly higher immunoglobulin levels in cHepC patients compared to controls and correlation of IgG with HAI and FS in non-uremic patients.…”

“…High IgG levels in cHepC patients have been shown to affect prognosis and response to therapy (21)(22)(23)(24). Maruyama et al (21), reported a correlation between serum IgG levels and the severity of the disease in 102 patients with cHepC and significant decrease in levels by treatment.…”

Predictive Value of Serum Fibrosis Markers (Endoglin, Leptin and Immunoglobuline) with Liver Histopathology in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis

“…Literatürde, fibrozisle giden kronik karaciğer hastalıklarında, Kupfer hücrelerinin portal venöz sisteme dağılan antijenleri temizleme kapasitesinin azaldığı, bu nedenle sirkulasyona daha fazla antijen geçtiği ve bunun sonucu olarak da immünoglo-bulin sentezinin arttığı bildirilmektedir. 28 Biz de çalışmamızda, ağır fibrozisi olan hastalarda IgA dü-zeylerini hafif-orta fibrozisi olan hastalardan daha yüksek bulduk. Fibrozisle orantılı olarak artan immünoglobulinler, daha fazla çalışmayla desteklendiğinde, gelecekte fibrozis derecesini belirlemekte kullanılabilir.…”

Ultrasound versus biological markers in the evaluation of periportal fibrosis in human Schistosoma mansoni

“…A strong association was found between serum immunoglobulin levels and hepatic fibrosis, particularly in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection and auto-immune hepatitis (Watt et al 2004, Schmilovitz-Weiss et al 2006, Lüth et al 2008. Silveira et al (2002) reported significantly higher IgG4 levels in patients with PPF when evaluating IgG4 in schistosomotic patients with and without PPF.…”