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Vol. 15. Issue 1.
Pages 66-68 (January - February 2011)
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Vol. 15. Issue 1.
Pages 66-68 (January - February 2011)
Brief communication
Open Access
Smooth muscle antibodies and cryoglobulinemia are associated with advanced liver fibrosis in Brazilian hepatitis C virus carriers
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Luis Jesuino de Oliveira Andrade1,
Corresponding author
luis_jesuino@yahoo.com.br

Correspondence to: Rua Nações Unidas, 511 – Centro 45600-673 Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil Phone: +55 73 88122755.
, Paulo Roberto Santana de Melo2, Ajax Mercês Atta3, Maria Luiza Brito de Sousa Atta3, Larissa Santana de Jesus4, Gabriel Menezes de Sousa4, Carolina Alves Costa Silva5, Raymundo Paraná6
1 Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
2 Department of Biological Sciences; Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz; Bahia; Brazil
3 Department of Toxicological and Clinical Analysis; Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia; UFBA - Brazil
4 Department of Toxicological and Clinical Analysis, Faculdade de Farmácia, UFBA, Brazil
5 Gastro-Hepatology Service, Complexo Hospitalar Professor Edgard Santos, Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, UFBA,Brazil
6 Gastro-Hepatology Service, Complexo Hospitalar Professor Edgard Santos, Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, UFBA, Brazil
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Abstract

Cryoglobulinemia and non-organ-specific-autoantibody are biomarkers of autoimmunity of the chronic infection caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). In this work, we report the association between the presence of smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) and cryoglobulinemia and chronic liver disease in HCV carriers. Sixty-five untreated HCV patients, 38 women and 27 men were included in this study. Cryoglobulinemia was tested by cryoprecipitation, SMA by indirect fluorescent antibody test, and liver fibrosis and hepatocellular inflammation activity was investigated by histology of liver biopsy using the METAVIR score. The prevalence of SMA in the patients was 33.8% and cryoglobulinemia was demonstrated in 36.9% patients. Cryoglobulinemia and SMA seropositivity was associated with advanced fibrosis (p < 0.05). The presence of SMA and cryoglobulinemia was not associated with hepatocellular inflammation activity, age, carrier gender or HCV genotype. We concluded that liver biopsy should be recommended for HCV carriers that are seropositive for SMA or cryoglobulinemia.

Keywords:
hepatitis C
muscle
smooth
antibody specificity
cryoglobulins
liver diseases
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Copyright © 2011. Elsevier Editora Ltda.. All rights reserved
The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases
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