Title:HLA-DRB1 Polymorphisms and Rheumatologic Manifestations in Chronic Hepatitis C
Volume: 19
Issue: 1
Author(s): Natália Bronzatto Medolago, Adriana Camargo Ferrasi*, Oswaldo Melo da Rocha, Maria Inês de Moura Campos Pardini, Rejane Maria Tommasini Grotto and Giovanni Faria Silva
Affiliation:
- Department of Internal Medicine, Botucatu Medical School, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil
Keywords:
HCV, hepatitis C, rheumatologic manifestations, HLA, DRB1, PCR-SSO.
Abstract: Background/Aims: Hepatitis C has been associated with rheumatologic manifestations
(HCV-related RM). Clinically, HCV-related RM may be indistinguishable from the symptoms that
occur in diffuse connective tissue diseases (DCTD-related RM), making the differential diagnosis
difficult. Host genetic factors, such as the Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) polymorphisms were
associated with HCV infection, however, there are no studies that discriminate between HCVrelated
RM and DCTD-related RM. This study focused on verifying associations between HLADRB1
and RM in patients with chronic hepatitis C, aiming to distinguish between DCTD-related
RM and HCV-related RM.
Methods: The participants were 152 individuals, of both sexes, aged between 18 and 80 years, and
affected by chronic hepatitis C. The patients underwent rheumatologic physical examination and
HLA-class II (HLA-DRB1) typing was performed by PCR-SSO (Polymerase Chain Reactionsequence
Specific Oligonucleotides).
Results: A significant number of patients with rheumatologic complaints (73%) not attributed to
other causes was observed. DRB1*08 allele seems to confer protection against RM in chronic hepatitis
C. There is no susceptibility association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and RM.
Conclusion: The absence of association between HLA-DRB1 and the rheumatologic manifestations
studied suggests that the pathophysiological pathways of DCTD-related RM and HCV-related RM
are distinct.
