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Solving the mystery of HBV-related mixed cryoglobulinemia: potential biomarkers of disease progression.
- Source :
-
Rheumatology (Oxford, England) [Rheumatology (Oxford)] 2021 Sep 01; Vol. 60 (9), pp. 4418-4427. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Objectives: The biomarkers of an immunological dysregulation due to a chronic HBV infection are indeed understudied. If untreated, this condition may evolve into liver impairment co-occurring with extrahepatic involvements. Here, we aim to identify a new panel of biomarkers [including immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses, RF, and Free Light Chains (FLCs)] that may be useful and reliable for clinical evaluation of HBV-related cryoglobulinemia.<br />Methods: We retrospectively analysed clinical data from 44 HBV-positive patients. The patients were stratified (according to the presence/absence of mixed cryoglobulinemia) into two groups: 22 with cryoglobulins (CGs) and 22 without CGs. Samples from 20 healthy blood donors (HDs) were used as negative controls. Serum samples were tested for IgG subclasses, RF (-IgM, -IgG, and -IgA type), and FLCs.<br />Results: We detected a strikingly different distribution of serum IgG subclasses between HDs and HBV-positive patients, together with different RF isotypes; in addition, FLCs were significantly increased in HBV-positive patients compared with HDs, while no significant difference was shown between HBV-positive patients with/without mixed cryoglobulinemia.<br />Conclusion: The immune-inflammatory response triggered by HBV may be monitored by a peculiar profile of biomarkers. Our results open a new perspective in the precision medicine era; in these challenging times, they could also be employed to monitor the clinical course of those COVID-19 patients who are at high risk of HBV reactivation due to liver impairment and/or immunosuppressive therapies.<br /> (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1462-0332
- Volume :
- 60
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Rheumatology (Oxford, England)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33590837
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keab157