Hepatitis C virus infection in patients with urticaria.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection induces variable skin manifestations.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine whether there is an association between HCV infection and urticaria.


METHODS
Antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) and HCV genotypes were determined in patients with urticaria and in a control population.


RESULTS
Anti-HCV was detected in 19 (24%) of 79 patients with urticaria, and HCV RNA was detected in 17 (22%). Genotypes of HCV were II/1b in 12 (71%), III/2a in 4 (24%), and IV/2b in 1 (6%). The 17 patients with HCV RNA were older (53 +/- 14 vs 41 +/- 14 years, p < 0.01), and their eruption lasted longer (35% vs 6%, p < 0.05) and left pigmentation more frequently (53% vs 3%, p < 0.001). They had higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (67 +/- 34 vs 25 +/- 17 U/L, p < 0.001), aspartate aminotransferase (51 +/- 23 vs 21 +/- 8 U/L, p < 0.001), zinc turbidity test (12.8 +/- 3.1 vs 9.3 +/- 3.7 Kunkel units, p < 0.001), and IgG (1919 +/- 320 vs 1622 +/- 349 mg/100 ml, p < 0.01) than the patients without HCV RNA.


CONCLUSIONS
HCV could be a significant cause of urticaria. Chronic urticaria associated with HCV infection has peculiar clinical, serologic, and biochemical characteristics that could make it a distinct clinical entity with an indication for interferon therapy.
Kanazawa
K
K
Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi-Ken, Japan.
Yaoita
H
H
Tsuda
F
F
Okamoto
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000032:analysis; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014581:Urticaria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D015032:Zinc
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012367:RNA, Viral; D007372:Interferons; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D015032:Zinc