THE ASSOC?AT?ON BETWEEN RHEUMATO?D ARTHR?T?S AND ANKYLOS?NG SPONDYL?T?S W?TH HEPAT?T?S B AND C V?RUSES

Tuba Tülay Koca*, MD., Zuhal ALTAY, Prof. MD., Bekir Durmu?, Doç. MD.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the association of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) diseases with HBV and HCV viruses together with etiopathogenesis, concomitance, differential diagnosis and treatment. Materials and Method: The study included 101 RA and 117 AS patients. Two different control groups comprised 113 subjects for the RA group and 94 for the AS group. All patient records were retrospectively reviewed for serological status. Demographic characteristics, duration of disease and treatment regimens were noted. To evaluate disease activity, serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were recorded. HBs Ag, HBs Ab and anti-HCV screening was performed in all patients. Patients positive for HBs Ag were tested for HBe Ag, HBe Ab, HBc Ag, HBc Ab, HBV–DNA parameters. Anti HCV positive patients were tested for HCV-RNA. All positive ratios were compared with the RA, AS and control groups. Results: The mean age was 51.9±12.6 years and 38.4±11.1 years in patients with RA and AS, respectively. HBs Ag prevalence of 1.9% (2/101) was found in the RA group. There was no statistically significant difference in the RA group compared with the control group. Positive results in HBs Ag and/or HBs Ab were assessed as viral contact. HBs Ag and/or HBs Ab positivity prevalence of 37.6% (38/101) was found in the RA group. There was no statistically significant difference in the RA group compared with the control group. Anti HCV prevalence of 0.9% (1/101) was found in the RA group. There was no statistically significant difference in the RA group compared with the control group. HBs Ag prevalence of 6% (7/117) was found in the AS group. There was no statistically significant difference in the AS group compared with the control group. HBs Ag and/or HBs Ab prevalence of 46.1% (54/117) was found in the AS group. There was no statistically significant difference in the AS group compared with the control group. Anti-HCV positivity prevalence of 0.9% (1/117) was found in the AS group. There was no statistically significant difference in the AS group compared with the control group. Conclusion: RA and AS diseases are firmly associated with HBV and HCV viruses in respect of defining etiopathogenesis, concordance, differential diagnosis and treatment regimens. In this study, it was aimed to clarify this association. Further studies are necessary for better understanding.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, ankylosing spondylitis,