title: [Hepatitis C virus infection presenting as a polyarthritis: report of 2 cases].
abstract: Several disease have been associated with hepatitis C virus infections, including rheumatologic, hematologic and neoplastic disorders. We report two women, aged 57 and 39 years old whom the initial presentation of hepatitis C virus infection was an arthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis. Laboratory work up revealed abnormal liver function tests, stimulating the search for hepatitis C virus infection, having both patients positive ELISA tests. Detection of this agent is extremely important when selecting a therapy for the articular disease, since several drugs used in the treatment of rheumatic disorders are potentially hepatotoxic and immunosuppression is risky in the setting of a viral hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Servicio Medicina, Hospital del Salvador, Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cáceres
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribalta
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wainstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
vernacular_title: Poliartritis como manifestación de infección por virus C de la hepatitis: presentación de dos casos clínicos.