Total serum IgE levels in chronic hepatitis C: Influence of interferon alpha therapy

Background: Liver disease has been considered a prominent cause of IgE elev ation, No data on serum IgE levels in chronic hepatitis C have been reporte d. Interferon-alpha is a standard therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Cytokine use is a promising type of immunomodulation in the treatment of IgE-mediat ed diseases. The effects of interferon-alpha therapy on serum IgE have not been fully evaluated. The aim of the study was to evaluate both serum IgE l evels in patients with chronic hepatitis C and the course of these levels a fter interferon-ol therapy. Patients and Methods: Serum IgE was determined in 100 adult patients with chronic hepatitis C (24 atopics according to pos itive skin prick tests and 76 nonatopics) and in 75 healthy controls (25 at opics and 50 nonatopics). Serum IgE measurements were repeated at 1 and 3 m onths of therapy with recombinant interferon-alpha (3 x 106 units s.c. 3 ti mes weekly) in 34 of these patients. Results: Serum IgE levels were similar in chronic hepatitis C patients and in controls when adjusted for atopic s tatus. Among patients with chronic hepatitis C, serum IgE levels were unrel ated to fiver necroinflammatory activity. A modest but statistically signif icant increase of IgE values was observed after interferon-cr, therapy, par ticularly in patients with no virological response. Conclusions: Chronic he patitis C is not a significant cause of increased total serum IgE values. S erum IgE increase in some patients with liver disease may be related to the cause of liver injury and not to liver disease per se. Interferon-alpha th erapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C is followed by no modification o r even a moderate increase of serum IgE values. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karge r AG, Basel.