Hepatitis C virus antibody in multiply transfused Chinese with thalassaemia major

Abstract

Thirty-four of 99 multiply transfused Chinese (49 females, 50 males) with thalassaemia major were positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus. There was no sex predominance in seropositivity with 18 females and 16 males positive. The mean (± SD) age and units of blood transfused were significantly higher in the seropositive patients (167 ± 48 months, 206 ± 82 units respectively) than the seronegative patients (113 ± 56 months, 124 ± 80 units respectively). The seropositive patients had higher mean (± SD) serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and ferritin concentrations (91 ± 82 IU/L, 67 ± 38 IU/L, 4797 ± 2522 ng/ml respectively) than the seronegative patients (38 ± 29 IU/L, 48 ± 28 IU/L, 3620 ± 2140 ng/ml respectively). Serum ferritin had an independent and significant effect on serum alanine aminotransferase in addition to that of seropositivity to hepatitis C virus.