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. 2002 Aug;30(4):229-33.
doi: 10.1007/s15010-002-2085-2.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca and chronic HCV infection

D Siagris  1 , N Pharmakakis, M Christofidou, J K Petropoulos, C Vantzou, A Lekkou, C A Gogos, C Labropoulou-Karatza
Affiliations

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca and chronic HCV infection

D Siagris et al. Infection. 2002 Aug.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) in Greek patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its association with HCV genotypes and liver histology.

Patients and methods: 93 HCVAb (+) patients underwent lacrimal function testing (Schirmer-1 test, break-up time test and Rose-Bengal staining test) and estimation of serum cryoglobulins and autoantibodies. 80 healthy volunteers were included in the study as controls.

Results: 34 out of 93 HCV patients (36.6%) and eight out of 80 healthy subjects (10%) had at least two abnormal lacrimal function tests suggestive of KCS (p < 0.001), cryoglobulinemia was evident in 20 patients (21.5%), rheumatoid factor (RF) in 43 (46.2%), antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in 19 (20.4%), antinuclear antigens (anti-SS-A and anti-SS-B) in one (1.1%) and two (2.2%) patients, respectively. Reduced prevalence of KCS was found in patients with genotype 3a compared to those with other genotypes (5/30, 16.7% vs 20/42, 47.6%, p = 0.007), probably because of their younger age. In patients with KCS a higher staging score was noted in liver biopsy compared to those without KCS (4.50 +/- 1.65 vs 3.06 +/- 1.88, p = 0.005).

Conclusion: Greek patients with chronic HCV infection have a high prevalence of KCS (36.6%). The low frequency of anti-SS-A and anti-SS-B antibodies in these patients denotes different pathogenetic associations from primary Sjogren's syndrome.

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