Different reactivity against HCV proteins (RIBA 3) according to progression of liver damage

Background. Aim of the study was to assess the correlation between clincal stage of HCV-related liver disease and viraemia to immune response to diffe rent viral antigens, Methods. We considered 1330 patients with HCV chronic infection followed up from 6 months up to 6 years divided into two groups according to RIBA 3 (A bbott) response: Group I, 1231 patients with positivity for at least two ba nds (83 subjects with asymptomatic infection, 941 with chronic hepatitis, 2 01 with cirrhosis and 6 with HCC); Group II, 99 patients with positivity at only one band (45 with asymptomatic infection, 53 with chronic hepatitis a nd 1 cirrhotic), Results, We noticed a major percentage of positive patients for at least th ree bands in more severe clinical forms (90% of chronic hepatitis or cirrho sis versus 60% of asymptomatics, p<0.005, chi(2) test), Moreover we noticed a percentage increase of positivity for antibodies anti-c100 and anti-NS5 with the progression of liver damage, statistically significant differences between asymptomatics and patients with chronic forms. We also observed th at viraemia is related neither to clinical stage nor to different reactivit y to RIBA 3, albeit viraemia is usually detected more frequently among pati ents with liver damage, but unrelated to different reactivities, Conclusions. Our results show a clear correlation between number of reactiv ities towards HCV proteins and progression of liver damage, pointing out th at immune response plays a direct role in the long-term outcome of HCV infe ction.