Autoantibodies and autoimmune disease during treatment of children with chronic hepatitis C.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Autoantibodies were studied in a well-characterized cohort of children with chronic hepatitis C during treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin to assess the relation with treatment and development of autoimmune disease.

Methods

: A total of 114 children (5-17 years), screened for the presence of high-titer autoantibodies, were randomized to pegylated interferon with or without ribavirin. Anti-nuclear, anti-liver-kidney-microsomal, anti-thyroglobulin, anti-thyroid peroxidase, insulin, anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies were measured after trial completion using frozen sera.

Results

At baseline, 19% had autoantibodies: anti-nuclear antibodies (8%), anti-liver-kidney-microsomal antibodies (4%), and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodie

SUBMITTER: Molleston JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3583208 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature