CHRONIC HEPATITIS;

Abstract

Objective: To determine the correlation between HCV genotypes and serum ALTlevels in various patients of chronic hepatitis induced by hepatitis C virus, in our setup. Design: Aprospective study carried out from August 2006 to December 2009. Setting: Research MedicalCenter LUMHS Jamshoro, Pathology Department Peoples University of Medical & HealthSciences Nawabshah and Biotechnology Department University of Karachi. Patients: A total of344 HCV-PCR positive patients with different genotypes were evaluated 239 men and 105 womenwith ages between 18–55 years of age years were included in the study. Methodology: All thepatients went for ELISA test for the presence of HCV antibodies by ELISA kit of Biokit Spain, then a10.0 ml sample of blood was collected in a tube with separating gel, to obtain serum, which wasO stored at -80 C, for the determination of HCV RNA by RT- PCR (Real time cephid smart cycler) andfor determination of HCV-RNA genotypes by comparison in sizes of the products amplified by RTPCRusing HCV genotype- specific primers, then subjecting the product to electrophoresis byAnagen kit. 5.0 ml of blood was also collected in a tube with separating gel, to obtain serum,which was stored at room temperature for the determination alanine aminotransferase by usingUV enzymatic kinetic method. Results: when HCV genotypes were correlated with serum ALTlevels, 09 cases were found < 50 mg % and among these 06 cases were of genotype 1a, 02 caseswere of genotype 2a and one case of untyped. 55 cases shows serum ALT level between 50-100mg % and among this majority of cases belongs to untyped category. 209 cases shows serumALT level between 100-200 mg % and among this majority of cases belongs to genotype 3a. 71cases shows serum ALT level >200 mg % and among this majority of cases belongs to genotype3a. Conclusions: The data in the current study indicates the strong correlation between HCVgenotypes and serum ALT levels. The genotypes 3a, 3b and 2 were found associated with highserum ALT levels and the genotype 1 was found associated with low levels of serum ALT.