Hepatitis C virus infection in patients with leukemia

• Published in: American journal of hematology Vol. 46; no. 4; p. 278
• Main Authors: Fujii, Y, Kaku, K, Tanaka, M, Yosizaki, M, Kaneko, T, Matumoto, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.1994
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Chronic Disease; Female; Hepatitis Antibodies - analysis; Hepatitis C - blood; Hepatitis C - diagnosis; Hepatitis C - immunology; Humans; Leukemia - microbiology; Liver Diseases - microbiology; Male; Middle Aged; Serologic Tests
• ISSN: 0361-8609
• DOI: 10.1002/ajh.2830460405

We have studied 30 patients with acute leukemia by the second-generation assay for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) to determine the incidence of HCV infection and the impact of anti-HCV positivity on liver disease. After a complete remission, 21/30 (70%) patients were anti-HCV-positive. During chemotherapy the anti-HCV-positive patients had more severe liver disease than the anti-HCV-negative patients, and they had a higher incidence of chronic hepatitis (13/21; 62% vs. 1/9; 11%, P < 0.01). During subsequent follow-up, 15/30 (50%) patients relapsed and 15/30 (50%) patients completed the chemotherapy protocols. After a relapse 12/15 (80%) patients were anti-HCV-positive and they had more severe liver disease than the anti-HCV-negative patients. Among the patients who completed chemotherapy (n = 15), biochemical evidence of chronic hepatitis was found in 9/9 (100%) anti-HCV-positive, and 2/6 (33%) anti-HCV-negative cases during off-therapy follow-up after therapy-withdrawal (P < 0.05). These results indicate that HCV plays an important role in the etiology of chronic hepatitis which could worsen the final prognosis of successfully treated patients with leukemia.