HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-ANTIBODY IN MULTIPLY TRANSFUSED CHINESE WITH THALASSEMIA MAJOR

Thirty-four of 99 multiply transfused Chinese (49 females, 50 males) w ith thalassaemia major were positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus . There was no sex predominance in seropositivity with 18 females and 16 males positive. The mean (+/- SD) age and units of blood transfused were significantly higher in the seropositive patients (167 +/- 48 mo nths, 206 +/- 82 units respectively) than the seronegative patients (1 13 +/- 56 months, 124 +/- 80 units respectively). The seropositive pat ients had higher mean (+/- SD) serum alanine aminotransferase, asparta te aminotransferase and ferritin concentrations (91 +/- 82 IU/L, 67 +/ - 38 IU/L, 4797 +/- 2522 ng/ml respectively) than the seronegative pat ients (38 +/- 29 IU/L, 48 +/- 28 IU/L, 3620 +/- 2140 ng/ml respectivel y). Serum ferritin had an independent and significant effect on serum alanine aminotransferase in addition to that of seropositivity to hepa titis C virus.