Non-organ-specific autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis c patients: association with histological activity and fibrosis

The interaction between HCV and the human immune system has attracted great interest in the last decade for two main reasons. Immune system related manifestations include a myriad of conditions ranging from sub-clinical cryoglobulinemia to overt lymphoproliferative malignancy. [Landau et al 2007]. Among the various immune system disorders associated with HCV infection is the auto immunity. Chronic hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is, indeed, associated with a range of autoimmune manifestations, including increased expression of non organ-specific autoantibodies. There is ongoing debate as to whether the presence of autoantibodies provides additional information about the disease process or is simply an epiphenomenon. Aim to assess the prevalence, type of NOSA in chronic hepatitis € patients and to determine whether a relationship might exist between the presence of NOSA and the severity of liver disease in chronic hepatitis C. Methodology A total of one hundred patients with chronic hepatitis C who are treatment naive presented to the department of Hepatology; Ain Shams University hospitals between the years 2009 and 2011 were enrolled. Non-organ specific autoantibodies namely ASMA, ANA and LKM autoantibodies were assessed in the sera of all patients. A liver biopsy was also done to determine the histological degree of liver injury using Metavir score. We found that NOSAs were present in 14% of our cohort. ASMA was the most frequently detected autoantibody [13%] in this study and LKM was the least [4%] with predominately low titres [1:40]. NOSA was more common in females and the presence of autoantibodies was associated with higher level of transaminases and more advanced fibrosis and necroinflammatory scores on liver biopsy independent of the degree of viremia. NOSAs were associated with the most severe forms of chronic HCV infections

Study of serum interleukin-1B and left ventricular function in patients with essential hypertension

This study was done on 40 patients with essential hypertension [group I], 25 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia [FH] [group II] and 20 normal control subjects [group III]. All cases were subjected to complete clinical examination including mean arterial blood pressure, complete blood picture, blood urea, serum creatinine, fasting blood sugar, two-hour postprandial, liver function tests, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, lipoprotein [a], ECG, echocardiography and serum IL-1 B. From the results obtained, it was concluded that high level of IL-1 B may be an additional risk factor for atheromatosis in patients with essential hypertension and blocking. The activity of this cytokine may be considered as a therapeutic possibility

Soluble receptors for tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-2 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

This study was done on 30 systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] patients in addition to ten control subjects age and sex matched. All cases were subjected to full history and complete clinical examination, CBP, ESR, urine analysis, renal function tests, antinuclear antibodies [ANA] and anti-DNA. Serum TNF alpha-RII and IL2-SR alpha levels were measured by ELISA in all patients and compared with that of the control subjects. The clinical assessment and laboratory results indicated that the activity of SLE was evaluated according to SLAM score, then the patients were classified into three groups. Group I included ten patients with inactive SLE, their mean +/- SD age was 23.5 + 12.8 years [SLAM score [zero]]; group II included ten patients with mild SLE activity, their mean +/- SD age was 26.4 + 14.5 years [SLAM score [1-28]] and group III included ten patients with moderate SLE activity, their mean +/- SD age was 25.5 +/- 8.2 years [SLAM score [29-50]]. In conclusion, the serum level of both TNF alpha-RII and IL2-SR alpha in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus was higher than normal and can be considered as markers for SLE disease activity

Electromyography and nerve conduction in patients on regular haemodialysis

The evolution of nerve conduction studies and EMG was determined for 30 patients with chronic renal failure maintained on regular hemodialysis for 12 months in order to assess the influence of long- term hemodialysis on progression of uremic neuropathy. Patients were classified according to the duration of dialysis into three groups: Group I comprised 8 patients being less than 5 years on dialysis, group II comprised 12 patients being between 5 and 9 years on dialysis and group III comprised 10 patients being more than 9 years on dialysis as well as 10 control subjects with matched age and sex. All patients were subjected to complete blood picture, kidney function tests, S cholesterol, S triglycerides and fasting and two hours postprandial blood sugar. Quantitative measurement of serum PTH and B2-microglobulin was done for the patients. Nerve conduction study and electromyography were done at the onset of the study and were repeated 12 months later