Abstract:
Objective: The aim of the present study was to estimate plasma levels of soluble endothelial protein C receptor (sEPCR) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in HCV infected patients and to evaluate their role in hypercoagulability and inflammation.
Patients and methods: It included 40 patients newly diagnosed as HCV positive with and without history of schistosomal infestation and 40 healthy individuals, matched for age and sex, were taken as a control group .Thorough history , clinical examination and laboratory investigations were done.
Results : Both sEPCR and IL-6 levels were found to be significantly elevated in HCV infected patients than in the control group (p<0.001) , reflecting a state of hypercoagulability and inflammation in those patients. The elevated plasma level of sEPCR was positively correlated with elevated IL-6 plasma level in HCV infected patients group which supported the state of hypercoagulability and inflammation mostly encountered in HCV infected patients and emphasized the close relation between inflammation and hypercoagulability.
Conclusion: The previous results indicated that there was an increased plasma level of sEPCR in HCV infected patients and that HCV infected patients may be at a greater risk of thrombotic events. In addition, plasma level of sEPCR may serve as a prognostic marker of hypercoagulability where most of the basic laboratory tests don’t truly represent the balance of coagulation in vivo.
Key words: sEPCR – HCV – IL-6 - Hypercoagulability.