Incidence of Sjögren's syndrome in Japanese patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis viruses induce not only chronic liver diseases but also the impairment of other organs and tissues as extrahepatic manifestations. In particular, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is involved in various extrahepatic manifestations. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and lichen planus (LP) involvement, which are various extrahepatic manifestations in patients with liver diseases related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV.


METHODS
We examined a total of 110 Japanese patients with chronic liver disease: 29 with HBV infections and 81 HCV infections.


RESULTS
The prevalence of SS according to European and Japanese criteria in patients with chronic HCV infection was significantly higher than in patients with chronic HBV infection (European criteria: 25.9 vs 3.4%; P < 0.05, Japanese criteria: 21.0 vs 3.4%; P = 0.05). Lichen planus was observed in one (3.4%) of 29 patients with chronic HBV infection, and in 11 (13.6%) of 81 patients with chronic HCV infection. Simultaneously combined LP and SS occurred in 8.6% (seven of 81) of patients with HCV infection, but in none with HBV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians should routinely follow the HCV-infected patients, paying sufficient attention to the presence of SS and LP, and they should also carefully monitor their prognosis.
Nagao
Yumiko
Y
Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. nagao@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
Hanada
Shinichiro
S
Shishido
Shyoichiro
S
Ide
Tatsuya
T
Kumashiro
Ryukichi
R
Ueno
Takato
T
Sata
Michio
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology