Development of rheumatoid arthritis after chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis C virus infection.
We describe a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had preceding evidence of post-transfusion, non-A, non-B hepatitis. The patient showed positive serological tests for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody. The manifestations of RA, including progressive polyarthritis and positive serum rheumatoid factors, emerged after the ameriolation of hepatitis and persisted for more than 3 years, indicating that the polyarthritis in this patient was not the prodrome of the hepatitis. This patient had HLA-DR4 and HLA-Bw54 which are found to be strongly associated with RA in Japan. It is therefore suggested that HCV may trigger the development of RA especially in genetically susceptible individuals.
Hirohata
S
S
Department of Medicine and Physical Therapy, University of Tokyo Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
Inoue
T
T
Ito
K
K
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C113783:HLA-B54 antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen