Assessment of the frequency of autoantibodies in chronic viral hepatitis

To examine the occurrence frequency of auto-antibodies and autoimmune diseases in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C. A total of 67 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and 77 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C infection based on HBs Ag, Anti HCV, HBe Ag, Anti HBe Ag, HBV DNA, HCV RNA, liver ultrasound, and liver biopsy results as well as 48 healthy individuals were included in this study. ANA, anti dsDNA, anti LKM, Anti-SMA, AMA, C-ANCA, P-ANCA, anti-SSA, anti-SSB, anti-Scl-70, anti Jo-1, anti-U1snRNP, anti-centromere, anti-Jo-1, anti tpo, and anti tg were studied in all individuals in each study group. ANA positivity was detected in 8 [12%], 15 [19%] and 2 [4%] individuals in HBV, HCV and control groups, respectively. The difference between the groups was significant [P=0.04]. Similarly, anti Tg was positive in one subject in HBV group, in 6 subjects [7%] in HCV group, and in one subject among controls, the difference being significant [P=0.04]. There were no significant differences between the study groups in the frequency of other auto-antibodies. Similar to studies involving patients who received interferon and/or antiviral agents, an increased frequency of auto-antibodies was also detected in our patient group consisting of interferon and anti-viral naive subjects. The increase in the frequency of auto-antibodies reached statistical significance among individuals with HCV infection. Thus, pre-treatment assessment of auto-antibodies in newly diagnosed cases of chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection may provide beneficial information on the future occurrence of auto-immune responses in these patients

Cardiac Autonomic Function Evaluated by the Heart Rate Turbulence Method was not Changed in Obese Patients without Co-morbidities

Obese subjects are more prone to sudden deaths and arrhythmias than non-obese subjects. Heart rate turbulence (HRT) impairment reflects cardiac autonomic dysfunction, in particular impaired baroreflex sensitivity and reduced parasympathetic activity. Our aim was to evaluate the cardiac autonomic function in obesity by the HRT method. Ninety obese subjects and 112 healthy subjects were included in the study. Twenty-four hours ambulatory electrocardiograms were recorded and Holter recordings were analyzed. HRT parameters, turbulence onset (TO) and turbulence slope (TS), were calculated with HRT View Version 0.60-0.1 software program. HRT were calculated in 43 obese and 43 control subjects who had at least one ventricular premature beat in their Holter recordings. We excluded 47 obese patients and 69 control subjects who showed no ventricular premature beats in their Holter recordings from the statistical analysis. There were no significant differences in TO and TS between obese and control subjects (TO obese: -1.6+/-2.2%, TO control: -2.1+/-2.6%, p>0.05; TS obese: 8.2+/-5.2, TS control: 10.1+/-6.7, p>0.05, respectively). HRT parameters seem to be normal in obese patients without comorbidities.