Background HCV can lead to both chronic liver disease and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. A strong association exists between HCV and mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC). Methods Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor Ig-G (RF-IgG), free light chain κ and λ (FLC-κ, FLC-λ) levels and κ/λ ratio were evaluated in 50/420 subjects unexpectedly resulted anti-HCV positive after routine screenings for non-hepathological procedures. Results Three/fifty patients had HCV-RNA undetectable in the serum and were excluded from the analysis. Thirty-nine/fifty patients had laboratory evidence of circulating cryoglobulins without liver disease and MC-related symptoms. Among them, 17 resulted ANA-positive. The mean cryocrit was higher in ANA-positive patients, while no other demographic/clinical differences were observed between the groups. Significantly higher levels of RF-IgG were observed in ANA-positive vs ANA-negative patients. κ and λ FLC were higher in ANA-positive patients. A ROC analysis, based on ANA-positivity vs ANA-negativity, confirmed a high sensitivity and specificity of RF-IgG test. Conclusions Published data concerning MC come mostly from symptomatic vasculitis. We analyzed HCV-patients without MC symptoms, founding cryoglobulins in the majority of them. The increased levels of FR-IgG and FLC in CGs-ANA-positive patients, suggest these test could be used to identify a state of silent autoimmune and/or lymphoproliferative condition before the transition to a frank disease in naïve HCV-patients without symptoms of extrahepatic manifestations.

Gulli, F., Basile, U., Gragnani, L., Fognani, E., Napodano, C., Colacicco, L., Miele, L., De Matthaeis, N., Cattani Franchi, P., Zignego, A. L., Rapaccini, G. L., Autoimmunity and lymphoproliferation markers in naïve HCV-RNA positive patients without clinical evidences of autoimmune/lymphoproliferative disorders, <<DIGESTIVE AND LIVER DISEASE>>, 2016; 48 (8): 927-933. [doi:10.1016/j.dld.2016.05.013] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/95307]

Autoimmunity and lymphoproliferation markers in naïve HCV-RNA positive patients without clinical evidences of autoimmune/lymphoproliferative disorders

Gulli, Francesca
Primo
;
Basile, Umberto
Secondo
;
Napodano, Cecilia;Colacicco, Luigi;Miele, Luca;De Matthaeis, Nicoletta;Cattani Franchi, Paola;Rapaccini, Gian Ludovico
Ultimo
2016

Abstract

Background HCV can lead to both chronic liver disease and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. A strong association exists between HCV and mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC). Methods Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor Ig-G (RF-IgG), free light chain κ and λ (FLC-κ, FLC-λ) levels and κ/λ ratio were evaluated in 50/420 subjects unexpectedly resulted anti-HCV positive after routine screenings for non-hepathological procedures. Results Three/fifty patients had HCV-RNA undetectable in the serum and were excluded from the analysis. Thirty-nine/fifty patients had laboratory evidence of circulating cryoglobulins without liver disease and MC-related symptoms. Among them, 17 resulted ANA-positive. The mean cryocrit was higher in ANA-positive patients, while no other demographic/clinical differences were observed between the groups. Significantly higher levels of RF-IgG were observed in ANA-positive vs ANA-negative patients. κ and λ FLC were higher in ANA-positive patients. A ROC analysis, based on ANA-positivity vs ANA-negativity, confirmed a high sensitivity and specificity of RF-IgG test. Conclusions Published data concerning MC come mostly from symptomatic vasculitis. We analyzed HCV-patients without MC symptoms, founding cryoglobulins in the majority of them. The increased levels of FR-IgG and FLC in CGs-ANA-positive patients, suggest these test could be used to identify a state of silent autoimmune and/or lymphoproliferative condition before the transition to a frank disease in naïve HCV-patients without symptoms of extrahepatic manifestations.
2016
Inglese
Gulli, F., Basile, U., Gragnani, L., Fognani, E., Napodano, C., Colacicco, L., Miele, L., De Matthaeis, N., Cattani Franchi, P., Zignego, A. L., Rapaccini, G. L., Autoimmunity and lymphoproliferation markers in naïve HCV-RNA positive patients without clinical evidences of autoimmune/lymphoproliferative disorders, <<DIGESTIVE AND LIVER DISEASE>>, 2016; 48 (8): 927-933. [doi:10.1016/j.dld.2016.05.013] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/95307]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10807/95307
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