Anti-thyroid Antibodies in Patients with HCV Genotype 3a: A Pilot Study

Background: Each year, 3 to 4 million people are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and it is the major cause of liver disease worldwide. The patient with acute HCV is often asymptomatic but can present with fatigue and jaundice. About 80% of HCV infected individual’s progress to chronic state. There is an increased prevalence of HCV infection with autoimmune diseases and the most common is chronic thyroiditis, which is an inflammatory disease that leads to hypothyroidism. These individuals have an increased level of antithyroid peroxidase antibody (anti TPO-Ab).

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of antithyroid antibody (ATA) in patients of HCV genotype 3a.

Materials and Methods: Fifty HCV infected patients with genotype 3a were enrolled in this study that included 33 males and 17 females. After written informed consent, 3 ml blood of all the patients was obtained and ATAs were detected by indirect immunofluorescence technique. These patients were divided into 3 groups, i.e. untreated 26 (52%), mid treated 17 (34%) and 7 (14%) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Results: Among the patients 17(51.5%) males and 7 (41.2%) females had ATA. Regarding different groups, 19 (73.1%) of untreated, 5 (29.4%) of mid treated and none of the patient in HCC group had ATA.

Conclusion: ATA was detected in a high percentage of patients with HCV genotype 3a. These antibodies were significantly higher in untreated patients as compared to mid treated and HCC patients. Further, more males had these antibodies as compared to females.