Motor-axonal polyneuropathy associated with hepatitis C virus.
The association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the presence of mixed cryoglobulinemia and peripheral neuropathy is well-documented (Apartis et al., 1996). HCV is the chief cause of essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (type II cryoglobulinemia) with cryoglobulins present in up to half of patients with HCV infection (Akriviadis et al., 1997). More recently it has been stated that peripheral polyneuropathy may be associated with HCV chronic infection without mixed cryoglobulinemia (Lidove et al., 2001). Patients usually present with a clinical and electrophysiology--predominantly sensory axonopathies (Apartis et al., 1996; Heckmann et al., 1999) or less frequently with fulminating vasculitis and mononeuropathy multiplex syndrome (David et al., 1996)--especially when associated with cryoglobulinemia. We report, for the first time, the association between pure motor-axonal polyneuropathy and HCV infection without cryoglobulinemia.
Costa
J
J
Department of Neurology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal.
Resende
C
C
de Carvalho
M
M
D000368:Aged; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies