Molleston, Jean P.Mellman, WilliamNarkewicz, Michael R.Balistreri, William F.Gonzalez-Peralta, Regino P.Jonas, Maureen M.Lobritto, Steven J.Mohan, ParvathiMurray, Karen F.Njoku, DoloresRosenthal, PhilipBarton, Bruce A.Talor, Monica V.Cheng, IreneSchwarz, Kathleen B.Haber, Barbara A.Peds-C Clinical Research Net2025-05-212025-05-212013Molleston JP, Mellman W, Narkewicz MR, et al. Autoantibodies and autoimmune disease during treatment of children with chronic hepatitis C. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2013;56(3):304-310. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e3182774caehttps://hdl.handle.net/1805/48304Objectives: Autoantibodies were studied in a well-characterized cohort of children with chronic hepatitis C during treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin to assess the relation with treatment and development of autoimmune disease. Methods: : A total of 114 children (5-17 years), screened for the presence of high-titer autoantibodies, were randomized to pegylated interferon with or without ribavirin. Anti-nuclear, anti-liver-kidney-microsomal, anti-thyroglobulin, anti-thyroid peroxidase, insulin, anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies were measured after trial completion using frozen sera. Results: At baseline, 19% had autoantibodies: anti-nuclear antibodies (8%), anti-liver-kidney-microsomal antibodies (4%), and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (4%). At 24 and 72 weeks (24 weeks after treatment completion), 23% and 26% had autoantibodies (P=0.50, 0.48 compared with baseline). One child developed diabetes and 2 hypothyroidism during treatment; none developed autoimmune hepatitis. At 24 weeks, the incidence of flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and headaches was 42%, 8% and 19% in those with autoantibodies versus 52%, 17%, and 26% in those without (P=0.18, 0.36, and 0.20, respectively). In children with negative hepatitis C virus polymerase chain reaction at 24 weeks, there was no difference in the rate of early virologic response/sustained virologic response, respectively, in those with autoantibodies 76%/69% vs 58%/65% in those without (P=0.48). Conclusions: Despite screening, we found autoantibodies commonly at baseline, during treatment for chronic hepatitis C and after. The presence of antibodies did not correlate with viral response, adverse effects, or autoimmune hepatitis. Neither screening nor archived samples assayed for thyroid and diabetes-related antibodies identified the 3 subjects who developed overt autoimmune disease, diabetes (1), and hypothyroidism (2).en-USPublisher PolicyPediatricsViral hepatitisTherapyComplicationsDiabetesHypothyroidAuto-immuneArticle