Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the clinical signification of non organ specific autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis C.
Methods: We studied retrospectively 158 consecutive patients (97 with chronic hepatitis C, 24 with chronic hepatitis B, 67 with alcoholic cirrhosis) and 100 blood-donors.
Results: The prevalence of anti-nuclear and anti-smooth muscle antibodies was lower in blood donors than in patients (P < 0.001), but was comparable among the 3 groups of patients. The anti-liver-kidney microsome type 1 antibodies were detected only in patients with chronic hepatitis C (6%). The serum gammaglobulin level was significantly higher in patients with hepatitis C and anti-nuclear antibody titers > or = 1/50. The anti-smooth muscle antibodies detected in patients with hepatitis C had no anti-actin specificity. The response to interferon was not related to the detection of non organ specific autoantibodies before treatment.
Conclusion: Anti-nuclear or anti-smooth muscle antibodies are not characteristic of hepatitis C virus infection.