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hcma
11-19-2003, 07:06 AM
Copyright 2003 Hepatitis Weekly via NewsRx.com and NewsRx.net
Hepatitis Weekly

November 17, 2003

SECTION: EDITOR'S CHOICE; Pg. 2

LENGTH: 440 words

HEADLINE: CARDIOLOGY: Hepatitis C virus may play a role in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy formation

BODY:

***Hepatitis C virus may play a role in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy formation.

***According to recent research from Japan, "hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is defined as inappropriate ventricular hypertrophy without a cardiac or systemic cause. On the other hand, hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes extrahepatic manifestations as well as chronic persistent infection in hepatocytes. We studied the association of HCV infection with HCM, comparing the prevalence of HCV antibodies between HCM patients and age- and gender-matched controls with other cardiovascular diseases at a single institution, for reasons of exclusion of bias."

***"We then described the clinical features and genotype analysis of HCV RNA in HCM. The diagnosis of HCM was established by echocardiographic demonstration of a hypertrophied (greater than or equal to 15 mm), nondilated left ventricle in the absence of another systemic or cardiovascular disease capable of producing the magnitude of hypertrophy observed," wrote M. Teragaki and colleagues, Osaka City University, Department of Internal Medicine.

***"The study population consisted of 80 patients with HCM, in whom HCV antibody was examined (55 men and 25 women; mean age 56.6plusmn12.4 years; ranging from 19 to 80 years), compared with a total of 80 age- and gender-matched controls without HCM."

***"The prevalence of HCV infection in patients with HCM (18/80) was significantly higher than in control subjects (5/80) (chi2=7.312, p=0.007). Of the 12 patients in whom the genotype of HCV was analyzed, 7 had type 1b and 5 had type 2a. The prevalence of HCV infection was higher in patients with HCM than in age- and gender-matched control subjects with other cardiovascular diseases."

***"The result suggests that HCV may play an important role in these HCV-positive HCM patients," researchers concluded.

***Teragaki and colleagues published their study in Heart and Vessels (Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Heart Vessels, 2003;18(4):167-170).

***For additional information, contact M. Teragaki, Osaka City University, Department Internal Medicine, Division Cardiology, Osaka 558, Japan.

***Publisher contact information for the journal Heart and Vessels is: Springer-Verlag, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA.

***The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Cardiology, Heart Disease, Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatology, and Virology.

***This article was prepared by Hepatitis Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

*** http://www.NewsRx.net

LOAD-DATE: November 14, 2003

mtlieb
11-19-2003, 07:24 AM
That's an interesting article, although I have to wonder if Hepatitis C has actually played a role in the development of HCM, or if the prevalence of Hepatitis C is simply higher in HCM patients due to immune system or other factors.

Lisa Salberg
11-19-2003, 07:36 AM
I do not give this article much weight. I would not spend much time on this.
While research is VERY important I have found some parts of the world will research ANYTHING and try to link them together. SUch is the case here.

Lisa

MartinKennedy
01-10-2004, 11:28 PM
Well, interestingly enough, I was rejected from giving blood by the Red Cross because they detected the exposure to Hep C. I believe it took place on a trip to China in 1984. My HCM was diagnosed about the same time....make your own interpretations.

Lisa Salberg
01-11-2004, 04:21 PM
I know several people who have Hep. C and do not have HCM.

Lisa

MartinKennedy
01-11-2004, 08:56 PM
I know lots of people that have Hep and not HCM...I don't think that was the thrust of the study...more likely it is to look at how many folks with HCM have been exposed to Hep C. Something triggers the cell growth and it seems to differ in each of us.