Association between HCV induced mixed cryoglobulinemia and pulmonary affection: the role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of pulmonary changes

Chronic hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is associated with both pulmonary involvement and cryoglobulinemia. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between pulmonary involvement and mixed cryoglobulinemia in chronic HCV infected patients and to investigate the role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of pulmonary changes. After hospital ethics committee approval and formal patient consent were obtained, 100 patients with compensated hepatitis C virus infection as confirmed by PCR were recruited in this cross sectional study. Their demographic and laboratory data, abdominal ultrasound findings, pulmonary function tests [spirometry], arterial blood gas [ABG] parameters, TNF-alpha levels, and data from high-resolution chest CT were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 16, and a serum cryoglobulin assay was performed in all of the studied patients The prevalence of mixed cryoglobulinemia was 61.7% in the studied HCV patients. Pulmonary symptoms were observed in more than half of these patients. The most common complaint among the symptomatic patients was dyspnea [51.7%], followed by cough [43.3%]. Oxygen saturation [Spo[2] and Sao[2]%], and FEVi and FVC levels, were significantly decreased in the cryoglob-ulin positive patients compared to the cryoglobulin negative patients. A statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of cryoglobulins and FEV level, FVC level, serum albumin level, viremia level, thrombocytopenia and arterial blood gas parameters. No correlation was found between cryoglobulinemia and TNF-alpha level. The results of this study suggest that pulmonary involvement is common in patients with chronic HCV infection and mixed cryoglobulinemia. Cryoglobulinemia may lead to pulmonary involvement through vascular and interstitial deposition of cryoglobulins, which results in impaired gas exchange and airway affection

Serum interferon-alpha level in first degree relatives of systemic lupus erythematosus patients: correlation with autoantibodies titers

Interferon-alpha [IFN-alpha], a cytokine with both antiviral and immune-regulatory functions, was suggested as a useful tool which can evaluate current systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] disease activity and identify patients who are at risk of future disease flares. In the current study, serum IFN-alpha levels and associated demographic, and serological features in Egyptian SLE patients and their first degree relatives [FDRs] in comparison to unrelated healthy controls [UHCs] were examined, in order to identify individuals at the greatest risk for clinical illness. Methods In a cross-sectional study, blood samples were drawn from 54 SLE patients, 93 of their FDRs who consented to enroll into the study and 76 UHCs. Measurement of serum IFN-alpha by a modified ELISA was carried out. Data were analyzed for associations of serum IFN-alpha levels with autoantibodies titer. Results Mean serum IFN-alpha in FDRs was statistically higher than the UHCs and lower than in SLE patients [P < 0.0001] and it was correlated with ANA titer [r = 0.6, P < 0.0001] and anti ds DNA titer [r = 0.62, P < 0.0001]. Conclusion IFN-alpha is a crucial player in the complicated autoimmune changes that occur in SLE and serum IFN-alpha can be a useful marker identifying persons who are at risk of future disease development