Liver Function In Patients With Homozygous Sickle Cell Disease (Hbss) – Effect Of Hbv Infection

Abstract

Using the sensitive ELISA technique, 213 patients with sickle cell anemia (112 males and 101 females) aged 6 months to 18 years were screened for Hepatitis B infection using Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to Hepatitis B core antigen. A biochemical evaluation of liver function was carried out on all patients using Alanine and Aspartate transaninases, alkaline phosphate and serum bilirubin.
The patients positive for HBV markers had their liver function tests compared with those of patients negative for the HBV markers. No statistically significant difference attributable to the presence of HBV was observed between the mean values of the serum enzymes amongst the groups. Isolated elevations in enzymes levels were, however, noted and randomly distributed in the various groups of patients with and without HBV markers. The abnormalities in liver function tests did not show any peculiar trend with the sex and age of patients has normal or slight elevation in liver enzymes with a moderate rise in serum bilirubin especially the direct reacting component.


Keywords: Liver functions, Sickle cell disease, Hepatitis B

Annals of Biomedical Science Vol. 3 (1&2) 2004: pp. 54-60