IMMUNOGLOBULIN-SPECIFIC AND HEPATITIS-B SURFACE ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC CIRCULATING IMMUNE-COMPLEXES IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-INFECTION

For assessing the role of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in chroni c hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, CICs containing IgM, IgG, and HBs Ag were determined by C1q and conglutinin (K) assays in 216 patients w ith chronic HBV infection and 54 healthy controls. The concentration o f each type of CIC in patients is higher than in controls (P = 0.0001) . CIC is a common feature of chronic REV infection with 95.8% of cases having at least one abnormal test result. At least one type of HBsAg- CIC is positive in 54.2% of patients. HBsAg-CIC positivity is associat ed with HBeAg positivity CP = 0.0001), higher aminotransferase levels (P < 0.002), and younger age (P = 0.001). IgG-CIC or IgM-HBsAg-CIC cor relates with higher aminotransferase activity (P = 0.001). In conclusi on, HBsAg-CIC correlates with HBV replication. IBG-CIC and/or IgM-HBsA g-CIC correlate with disease activity. Immune-mediated injury may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic HBV infection. (C) 1998 Academi c Press.