title: Chronic hepatitis C associated with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Two patients were admitted to Mie Prefectural General Medical Center and diagnosed as chronic hepatitis C complicated with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The MGUS class were immunoglobulin (Ig)G. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genotype was Ib. Based on these findings, they were diagnosed as chronic hepatitis C complicated with MGUS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological studies showed chronic hepatitis in the liver and a mild rise in plasma cells without dysplasia and abnormalities in the bone marrow. Serum examination for cryoglobulin was negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic HCV infection might play a pathogenic role in the multistage process leading to lymphoproliferative disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicien, Mie Prefectural General Medical Center and Mie University of Medicine, Tsu, Japan. md002010@st.toyama-mpu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamazaki
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Motokazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tuneya
authors.forename: Masatugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumazawa
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adachi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy