Features of Clinical and Biochemical Parameters and Indicators of Neurohumoral Regulation in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C and Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Depending on the Infection with Different HCV Genotypes

Abstract

Purpose. To identify the features of clinical and biochemical parameters and indicators of neurohumoral regulation in patients with chronic hepatitis C and mixed cryoglobulinemia depending on the infection with different genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods. The study involved 78 patients with chronic hepatitis C and mixed cryoglobulinemia. The content of cryoglobulins in the blood serum was determined by spectrophotometry, of cortisol — by enzyme immunoassay. We have evaluated the spectral parameters of heart rate variability using computer cardiointervalometry. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 42 patients infected with HCV genotype 1 and 36 patients infected with HCV genotype 2 or 3. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in the clinical signs of mixed cryoglobulinemia, alanine aminotransferase activity and the content of mixed cryoglobulins in the blood serum of patients infected with HCV 1 and 2 or 3 genotype. Serum cortisol was 20.6 % higher (p < 0.05) in patients infected with HCV genotype 1. The analysis of heart rate variability showed that low frequency was lower by 24.5 % (p < 0.05), and the rate of high frequency — higher by 60.4 % (p < 0.05) in patients infected with HCV genotype 1. Therefore, patients infected with the HCV genotype 1 had a more significant imbalance of neurohumoral regulation.

Keywords

• chronic hepatitis C
• genotype
• mixed cryoglobulinemia
• heart rate variability
• cortisol