[Immune status of patients with different outcomes of acute hepatitis C].

AIM: To ascertain parameters of immune response significant for prognosis of the disease outcome in patients with acute hepatitis C (AHC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy two examinees were divided into three groups: 30 patients of group 1 had AHC; 29 patients of group 2 had chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with the disease history 3-10 years; 13 AHC convalescents who had the disease 3-10 years ago. The control group consisted of 10 healthy subjects. The following parameters of immune status were studied: CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+, CD20+, HLA-DR+CD3+, CD95+, O-lymphocytes. RESULTS: By clinicobiochemical picture and the results of 12-month follow-up RT-PCR investigations of blood HCV RNA, AHC patients were divided into two groups: in 18 (72%) of 25 patients AHC became chronic, 7 (28%) patients achieved convalescence. The proportion and absolute number of subpopulations of lymphocytes CD8+, CD20+, CD16+ as well as CD4/CD8 in patients with AHC with different outcomes did not differ from the controls. AHC convalescents and patients with AHC transformation into chronic hepatitis had in the acute period of the disease much higher absolute number of subpopulations of the lymphocytes CD3+, CD4+, HLA-DR+CD3+ vs the controls. In patients with chronic hepatitis C with elevated levels of AlAT, 3-10 year follow-up registered significantly higher absolute amount of CD8+, CD3+, CD4+, HLA-DR+CD3+ vs the controls. Only patients with AHC which later became chronic had for 6 months of the disease significantly elevated absolute number of O-lymphocytes vs the controls. CONCLUSION: A high absolute count of O-lymphocytes in AHC patients may indicate probable development of chronic hepatitis C.