AUTOANTICORPI IN IMMUNOFLUORESCENZA NELLE EPATOPATIE

Autoantibodies to nuclei (ANA), smooth muscles (SMA), mitochondria (AMA), thyroid (microsomal) and gastric parietal cells were looked for in 137 patients with acute and chronic liver disease. In acute hepatitis (13 cases) the incidence was: ANA in 1 (7%), AMA in 0, SMA in 7 (53%), antithyroid in 1 (7%), and antigastric parietal cells in 3 (23%). In chronic persistent hepatitis (29) the incidence was: ANA in 0, AMA in 1 (3%), SMA in 5 (16%), antithyroid in 2 (7%), and antigastric parietal cells in 3 (10%). In chronic aggressive hepatitis (30) the incidence was: ANA in 3 (10%), AMA in 1 (3%), SMA in 10 (33%), antithyroid in 3 (10%), and antigastric parietal cells in 3 (10%). Moreover the incidence of SMA was different when Au positive patients were considered separately, accounting for 29%, against 45% in Au negative patients. In postnecrotic cirrhosis (24) the incidence of autoantibodies was: ANA in 1 (2%), AMA in 0, SMA in 7 (29%), antithyroid in 3 (12%), and antigastric parietal cells in 2 (10%). In primary biliary cirrhosis (10) [ANA in 1 (10%) and SMA in 2 (20%)] there was a high frequency of AMA [AMA in 9 (90%)]; in 6 patients titers were found to be greater than 1:320. In relatives (20) of 4 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis: ANA in 3 (15%), AMA in 1 (5%), SMA in 0, antithyroid in 4 (20%), antigastric parietal cells in 2 (10%). In cases of long lasting extrahepatic cholestasis (11) AMA was absent, except in one patient with main duct obstruction, due to lymph node enlargement, who had a titer greater than 1:320.