Ochratoxin A and liver damage: a case-control study.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin suspected to exert toxic effects on liver cell: in our research, we investigated the role of OTA on the genesis of liver disease and HCC in a case-control study. 43 subjects with chronic liver disease (case group) were matched for age and sex with 62 volunteers without liver disease (control group). In order to avoid any confounding effect of alcohol intake, all subjects consumed less than 20 g/day of alcohol for men and 10 g/day for woman. A blood sample was taken from each subject and analyzed for OTA, liver transaminases, ALP. Bilirubin, CRP and creatinine. In our study, OTA intake was low (0.039 ng/kg b.w./day - 0.065 ng/kg b.w./day) and 49% (51/104) of subjects had plasma OTA levels lower than LOD (25 ng/l). Only 10 (%) subjects exceeded the value of 200 ng/l; no differences were found between serum OTA concentrations of control and case groups. In the case group, the CRP levels were linearly related with bilirubin levels (r = 0.298; P < 0.05) and in subjects with liver disease and positive serum OTA concentration, this relationship improved (r = 0.638; P < 0.01). Although OTA did not affect the prevalence of liver disease, among the 29 cirrhotic patients, the prevalence of HCC was higher in OTA positive subjects than in OTA negative ones (P < 0.05). Our results do not clearly support the role of OTA as a risk factor for HCC or cirrhosis, however the observed prevalence of HCC in OTA positive subjects requires further investigation.