Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in patients with chronic hepatitis

Halis Şimşek, Asli Pinar, Akif Altinbaş, Alparslan Alp, Yasemin H. Balaban, Yahya Büyükaşik, Osman Özcebe, Gülşen Hasçelik, Gökhan Gedikoǧlu, Gonca Tatar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background/aims: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency causes accumulation of mutant alpha-1 antitrypsin molecules in hepatocytes, and is attributed to severe liver injury even in heterozygous state. However, there is a question as to whether alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is only a cause of liver injury or has a worsening effect on the underlying liver disease. We aimed to determine the role of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in the ongoing chronic hepatitic process. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients with the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis by liver biopsy (36 chronic hepatitis B virus, 8 chronic hepatitis C virus, 7 non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, 2 primary biliary cirrhosis, and 1 autoimmune hepatitis) and 51 age- and sex-matched control subjects chosen from among healthy blood donors were included in the study. Isoelectric focusing for identifying alpha-1 antitrypsin phenotypes was performed in all patients and control subjects, whereas the histopathological examination was done only in patients. Results: Alpha-1 antitrypsin-deficient variant was absent in patients and controls. The mean serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level was significantly lower in patients (157.4±33 mg/dl) than controls (134.8±30 mg/dl) (p<0.00). Histological activity index and fibrosis grade in the liver were not related to the serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level (p: 0.276 and 0.902, respectively). Additionally, the serum alpha-1 antitrypsin levels among normal variants of alpha-1 antitrypsin did not differ according to the underlying liver diseases (p: 0.928). Conclusions: This prospective case-control study could not define any additional effect of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency on liver histopathology in chronic hepatitis patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)569-573
Number of pages5
JournalTurkish Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume23
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2012

Keywords

  • Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
  • Antitrypsin phenotypes
  • Chronic hepatitis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gastroenterology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in patients with chronic hepatitis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this