[Prevalence and significance of non-specific anti-organelle antibodies of the liver in chronic viral hepatitis C]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the clinical signification of non organ specific autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis C.We studied retrospectively 158 consecutive patients (97 with chronic hepatitis C, 24 with chronic hepatitis B, 67 with alcoholic cirrhosis) and 100 blood-donors.The prevalence of anti-nuclear and anti-smooth muscle antibodies was lower in blood donors than in patients (P0.001), 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 titersor = 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.Anti-nuclear or anti-smooth muscle antibodies are not characteristic of hepatitis C virus infection.