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SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2006
10/4/06
Anti-C1q antibodies in chronic hepatitis C infection
Summary
Background - Anti-C1q antibodies (Ab) are found commonly in the sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and urticarial vasculitis. Extrahepatic autoimmune manifestations occur frequently in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
Findings - Lienesch et al of the Univ of Cincinnati College of Medicine investigated the frequency of anti-C1q Ab in 50 patients with chronic HCV infection. They found such Ab in 38% of HCV patients, compared with a 2% frequency in age-matched healthy controls. An increased frequency of anti-C1q Ab was also found in patients with: 1) SLE (61%); 2) rheumatoid arthritis (20%); 3) scleroderma (15%); 4) Sjogren's Syndrome (15%); and mixed connective tissue disease (15%).
Reference
Clin Exp Rheum 2006;24:183-5
Editor's Comments
The authors concluded that the presence of anti-C1q Ab in HCV may have implications for the pathogenesis of mixed cryoglobulinemic vasculitis syndrome also found commonly in chronic HCV infection. Indeed, it is estimated that about 75% of current cases of mixed cryoglobulinemia appears to be associated with chronic HCV infection. C1q activation may well be involved in such studies.
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