Association between Serum L-Carnitine Level and Thrombocytopenia in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients, ASHRAF K. NASSAR, MUHAMMAD E. EL-SHEWI, EMAN G. BEHIRY and MOSTAFA A. EL-SAYED
Abstract
Background and Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents one of the most serious medical challenges that face the Egyptian medical sector. Thrombocytopenia may occur as a complication of HCV infection itself or due to antiviral therapy. L.Carnitine is an important nutrient in the body which involved in many physiological functions in the body. This study aimed to detect association between serum L.Carnitine and thrombocytopeniain Chronic Hepatitis C Patients whether due to viral infection or due to antiviral therapy.
Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 66 compensated chronic hepatitis C patients with throm-bocytopenia patients beside 15 healthy individuals of both sexes classified in 4 groups, group (A) included 18 pa-tientswithout antiviral therapy, group (B) included 35 patients under peg-interferon a, sofosbuvir and ribavirin therapy, group (C) included 13 patients under peg-interferon a and ribavirin therapy and group (D) included 15 healthy individuals who served as control group.
Results: There was non significant correlation between serum L.Carnitine level and thrombocytopenia in group (A) (p-value: 0.562), group (B) (p-value: 0.211) and group (C) (p-value: 0.969).
Conclusion: There is no association between serum L. Car-nitine level and thrombocytopenia in chronic hepatitis C patients regardless this was induced by IFN-based antiviral therapy or not.