Antiplatelet antibodies in patients with chronic viral hepatitis receiving interferon-alpha

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of interferon-a in the development of antiplatelet IgG antibodies in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B or C. Methodology: Ninety-one consecutive patients with chronic viral hepatitis (51 with chronic hepatitis B and 40 with chronic hepatitis Q were investigated for the presence of antiplatelet IgG antibodies in their serum immediately prior to IFN-a therapy and after six months of therapy. The method used was the solid phase red cell adherence test (Immucor, Norcross, USA), which is a sensitive tracer of antiplatelet antibodies. Some of the results were confirmed using an indirect immunofluorescence test for the detection of antiplatelet antibodies. Results: Overall, we found that antiplatelet antibodies were present in 37.54% (19/51) of patients with chronic hepatitis B before IFN-a therapy and in 35.29% (18/51) after therapy. Moreover, antiplatelet antibodies were found in 20% (8/40) of patients with chronic hepatitis C before and after IFN-a therapy. Conclusions: Therapy with IFN-a did not induce antiplatelet antibodies in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B or C. Thrombocytopenia observed during IFN-a therapy in our study was not due to the development of antiplatelet antibodies.