Comparative study between occult hepatitis C virus infection and chronic hepatit

[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 14 Issue 1 Page 36 - January 2007

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00783.x

Volume 14 Issue 1

Comparative study between occult hepatitis C virus infection and chronic

hepatitis C

M. Pardo, J. M. López-Alcorocho, E. Rodríguez-Iñigo, I. Castillo and V.

Carreño

Summary. We have recently described the presence of occult hepatitis C virus

(HCV) infection (HCV-RNA in liver in the absence of anti-HCV and serum

HCV-RNA) in patients with persistently abnormal liver function tests of

unknown aetiology. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics

of patients with occult HCV infection vs those of patients with chronic

hepatitis C. We compared clinical features of 68 patients with occult HCV

infection and 69 untreated chronic HCV patients (anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA

positive), matched for age, gender, duration of abnormal liver function

tests and body mass index. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine

aminotransferase were higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV, but cholesterol and

triglycerides were significantly higher in patients with occult HCV

infection (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002). Chronic HCV patients had higher

gamma-globulin (P = 0.005), alpha-foetoprotein (P < 0.001) and iron (P <

0.001) levels. Percentage of patients with necroinflammatory activity and

fibrosis was higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV than in occult HCV infection.

Mean percentage of infected hepatocytes was higher (P = 0.001) in chronic

HCV (10.1%) than in occult HCV infection (5.3%). This occult HCV infection

is a milder disease than chronic HCV, and this could be related to the

significantly lower number of infected hepatocytes observed in occult HCV.

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 14 Issue 1 Page 36 - January 2007

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00783.x

Volume 14 Issue 1

Comparative study between occult hepatitis C virus infection and chronic

hepatitis C

M. Pardo, J. M. López-Alcorocho, E. Rodríguez-Iñigo, I. Castillo and V.

Carreño

Summary. We have recently described the presence of occult hepatitis C virus

(HCV) infection (HCV-RNA in liver in the absence of anti-HCV and serum

HCV-RNA) in patients with persistently abnormal liver function tests of

unknown aetiology. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics

of patients with occult HCV infection vs those of patients with chronic

hepatitis C. We compared clinical features of 68 patients with occult HCV

infection and 69 untreated chronic HCV patients (anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA

positive), matched for age, gender, duration of abnormal liver function

tests and body mass index. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine

aminotransferase were higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV, but cholesterol and

triglycerides were significantly higher in patients with occult HCV

infection (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002). Chronic HCV patients had higher

gamma-globulin (P = 0.005), alpha-foetoprotein (P < 0.001) and iron (P <

0.001) levels. Percentage of patients with necroinflammatory activity and

fibrosis was higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV than in occult HCV infection.

Mean percentage of infected hepatocytes was higher (P = 0.001) in chronic

HCV (10.1%) than in occult HCV infection (5.3%). This occult HCV infection

is a milder disease than chronic HCV, and this could be related to the

significantly lower number of infected hepatocytes observed in occult HCV.

_________________________________________________________________

Get live scores and news about your team: Add the Live.com Football Page

www.live.com/?addtemplate=football & icid=T001MSN30A0701

[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 14 Issue 1 Page 36 - January 2007

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00783.x

Volume 14 Issue 1

Comparative study between occult hepatitis C virus infection and chronic

hepatitis C

M. Pardo, J. M. López-Alcorocho, E. Rodríguez-Iñigo, I. Castillo and V.

Carreño

Summary. We have recently described the presence of occult hepatitis C virus

(HCV) infection (HCV-RNA in liver in the absence of anti-HCV and serum

HCV-RNA) in patients with persistently abnormal liver function tests of

unknown aetiology. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics

of patients with occult HCV infection vs those of patients with chronic

hepatitis C. We compared clinical features of 68 patients with occult HCV

infection and 69 untreated chronic HCV patients (anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA

positive), matched for age, gender, duration of abnormal liver function

tests and body mass index. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine

aminotransferase were higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV, but cholesterol and

triglycerides were significantly higher in patients with occult HCV

infection (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002). Chronic HCV patients had higher

gamma-globulin (P = 0.005), alpha-foetoprotein (P < 0.001) and iron (P <

0.001) levels. Percentage of patients with necroinflammatory activity and

fibrosis was higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV than in occult HCV infection.

Mean percentage of infected hepatocytes was higher (P = 0.001) in chronic

HCV (10.1%) than in occult HCV infection (5.3%). This occult HCV infection

is a milder disease than chronic HCV, and this could be related to the

significantly lower number of infected hepatocytes observed in occult HCV.

_________________________________________________________________

Get live scores and news about your team: Add the Live.com Football Page

www.live.com/?addtemplate=football & icid=T001MSN30A0701

[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 14 Issue 1 Page 36 - January 2007

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00783.x

Volume 14 Issue 1

Comparative study between occult hepatitis C virus infection and chronic

hepatitis C

M. Pardo, J. M. López-Alcorocho, E. Rodríguez-Iñigo, I. Castillo and V.

Carreño

Summary. We have recently described the presence of occult hepatitis C virus

(HCV) infection (HCV-RNA in liver in the absence of anti-HCV and serum

HCV-RNA) in patients with persistently abnormal liver function tests of

unknown aetiology. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics

of patients with occult HCV infection vs those of patients with chronic

hepatitis C. We compared clinical features of 68 patients with occult HCV

infection and 69 untreated chronic HCV patients (anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA

positive), matched for age, gender, duration of abnormal liver function

tests and body mass index. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine

aminotransferase were higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV, but cholesterol and

triglycerides were significantly higher in patients with occult HCV

infection (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002). Chronic HCV patients had higher

gamma-globulin (P = 0.005), alpha-foetoprotein (P < 0.001) and iron (P <

0.001) levels. Percentage of patients with necroinflammatory activity and

fibrosis was higher (P < 0.001) in chronic HCV than in occult HCV infection.

Mean percentage of infected hepatocytes was higher (P = 0.001) in chronic

HCV (10.1%) than in occult HCV infection (5.3%). This occult HCV infection

is a milder disease than chronic HCV, and this could be related to the

significantly lower number of infected hepatocytes observed in occult HCV.

_________________________________________________________________

Get live scores and news about your team: Add the Live.com Football Page

www.live.com/?addtemplate=football & icid=T001MSN30A0701