[Comparative study between HBsAg positive and HBsAg negative panarteritis nodosa in a series of 25 cases (author's...

Clinical symptoms, biochemical analyses, immunologic status and angiographic findings corresponding to seven HBsAg positive patients with panarteritis nodosa and to 16 HBsAg negative patients with panarteritis nodosa have been compared. HBsAg positive cases showed a statistical significant higher incidences of Raynaud's phenomenon (p less than 0.05) and cardiopathies (p les than 0.05), as well as high occurrence of blood hypertension, artropathy, liver involvement and peripheral neuropathy. Significant differences in relation to cell immunity were not found. Humoral immune disturbances were more common among HBsAg positive patients, being hypergammaglobulinemia (p less than 0.01), IgM increase and decrease of complement factors (C3, C4 and C3PA) the most frequent abnormalities recorded. Angiographic studies revealed a high incidence of microaneurisms for the HBsAg positive group.