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OBJECTIVE To investigate the significance of IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen (IgM anti-HCV core) in chronic hepatitis C. METHODS In a group of 112 patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C positive for HCV RNA, IgM anti-HCV core level was studied by a sensitive semi-quantitative enzyme immunoassay. Quantitation of serum HCV RNA was done by a second generation bDNA assay and determination of HCV genotype by RT-PCR and reverse hybridization. RESULTS IgM anti-HCV core was detected in 72 (64.3%) of the 112 patients. ALT levels were significantly higher in IgM anti-HCV core positive than negative patients. No other significant difference was observed in any of the patients' characteristics between IgM anti-HCV core positive and negative groups. On the contrary, IgM anti-HCV core level was found to be significantly higher in females than in males, in patients with moderate or severe chronic hepatitis, in patients with high HCV RNA levels and in patients infected with HCV genotype 1b. Moreover, IgM anti-HCV core level was significantly correlated with age and ALT level. Multiple regression analysis showed that IgM anti-HCV core level was significantly related only to the HCV genotype (p=0.001), histological grade (p=0.017) and ALT level (p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS Our data support the hypothesis that IgM anti-HCV core level is associated mainly with HCV genotype and secondly with liver disease necroinflammatory activity. These associations may have implications in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C.
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
April 1996,
Casopis lekaru ceskych,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
November 1995,
Journal of medical virology,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
January 1995,
Zhonghua nei ke za zhi,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
July 1996,
Journal of virological methods,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
September 1997,
The American journal of gastroenterology,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
April 1996,
Acta virologica,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
January 2009,
Zhurnal mikrobiologii, epidemiologii i immunobiologii,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
October 1994,
Journal of clinical microbiology,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
September 1995,
Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine,
G V Papatheodoridis, and
J K Delladetsima, and
A Katsoulidou, and
V Sypsa, and
M Albrecht, and
G Michel, and
A Hatzakis, and
N C Tassopoulos
December 1993,
Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan),
