Persistence of anti-Schistosoma IgG indicated a poor clinical outcome in patients with chronic schistosomiasis japonica

Abstract Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease, which affects the quality of daily life of patients and imposes a huge burden on society. Hepatic fibrosis in response to continuous insult of eggs to the liver is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. However, the mechanisms of hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis are largely undefined. The purpose of our study is to detect the indicator to hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis. A total of 488 patients with chronic schistosomiasis japonica were enrolled in our study. The patients were divided into two groups according to liver ultrasound examination, which could indicate liver fibrosis of schistosomiasis with unique reticular changes. Logistic regression analysis showed that globulin, albumin/globulin, GGT levels and anti-Schistosoma IgG were independently associated with liver fibrosis in patients with schistosomiasis and IgG was the largest association of liver fibrosis (OR = 2.039, 95% CI = 1.293-3.213). We further compared IgG+ patients with IgG-patients. IgG+ patients (ALT 25 U/L, GGT 31 U/L) slightly higher than IgG-patients (ALT 22 U/L, GGT 26 U/L) in ALT and GGT. However, the fibrosis of liver in IgG+ patients (Grade Ⅱ(19.7%), Grade Ⅲ(7.3%)) were more severe than that in IgG-patients(Grade Ⅱ(12.5%), Grade Ⅲ(2.9%)) according to the grade of liver ultrasonography. Our results showed anti-Schistosoma IgG was independently associated with liver fibrosis in patients with chronic schistosomiasis japonica and patients with persistent anti-Schistosoma IgG might have more liver fibrosis than negative patients despite no obvious clinical signs or symptoms.