Clinical significance of serum hepatitis C virus titers in patients with chronic type C hepatitis
Journal
American Journal of Gastroenterology
Journal Volume
91
Journal Issue
3
Pages
506-510
Date Issued
1996
Author(s)
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the relationship between serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) titers and clinicopathological characteristics of chronic type C hepatitis. Methods: Serum HCV cDNA concentrations were determined by a competitive polymerase chain reaction assay in 60 Taiwanese patients with chronic type C hepatitis. Results: The concentration of serum HCV cDNA ranged between 102 and 108 copies/mL. The titers of serum HCV (logarithmic transformed copies of HCV cDNA/mL serum) were not significantly correlated with clinicopathological characteristics with respect to either sex of the patients, source of infection, higher serum ALT level (> 150 IU/L) or histological severity. In contrast, serum HCV titers were significantly higher in patients with age above 50 yr and with type lb HCV infection. Moreover, the influence of advancing age on serum HCV titer was genotype- independent by multivariate analysis. Conclusions: These results suggest that advancing age and genotype are both important determinants of HCV viremia and that the pathogenesis of HCV infection might not be caused by direct cytotoxicity of the virus.
SDGs
Other Subjects
adult; aged; antibody titer; article; chronic hepatitis; cytotoxicity; DNA determination; female; genotype; Hepatitis C virus; human; major clinical study; male; polymerase chain reaction; priority journal; viremia; virus infection; virus replication; virus transformation
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Type
journal article