ASSESSMENT OF THE SERUM LEVEL OF COMPLEMENT C3 AND C4 IN CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS C INFECTION AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH RESPONSE TO DIRECT ACTING ANTI-VIRAL AGENTS

Background: The interactions between hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and the host immune system have a major role in HCV pathogenesis. Objective: To estimate complement C3 and C4 serum levels in patients with chronic HCV patients and to correlate its levels with response to directly acting anti-viral agents (DAAs) in those patients. Patients and methods: The study included 80 individuals classified into two groups: Group (I): 40 patients with chronic HCV infection, Group (II): Control group which included 40 healthy individuals. Measurement of the level of complement C3 and C4 has done by nephelometry immunoassay before and after treatment with DAAs. Results: All patients with chronic HCV infection in group (I) showed significant reduction in serum levels of complement C3 and C4 compared to the control group (II). Moreover, those patients who treated with DAAs showed significantly higher levels of C3 and C4 when compared to chronic HCV patients before treatment with DAAs. Conclusion: Serum levels of complement C3 and C4 serum may be used in the follow up of the course of the disease and may be used as a predictor for the response to treatment with DAAs.