title: HCV infection and extrahepatic manifestations.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus infection is associated with various extrahepatic manifestations such as mixed cryoglobulinemia, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and porphyria cutanea tarda. The link between mixed cryoglobulinemia and hepatitis C virus infection is actually well known. Interferon alpha therapy decreases hepatitis C viremia and improves the clinical signs and biochemical abnormalities of cryoglobulinemia. The rare combination of hepatitis C and panarteritis nodosa has still not been confirmed. The sicca syndrome also seems to be associated with hepatitis C virus, but this is not the typical Sjogren's syndrome. It is not yet well established if hepatitis C virus plays a pathogenic role in the development of thyroid dysfunction and autoimmune thyroiditis. Probably interferon therapy may be implicated in the development in this and other extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus infection. Although an epidemiological association of hepatitis C with lichen planus, neuropathies and other diseases has been observed, the etiological role and the pathogenic involvement of the hepatitis C infection remains unclear. Extrahepatic clinical manifestations are frequently observed in hepatitis C virus patients and involve primarily the joints, muscles, and skin. The most frequent immunological abnormalities include mixed cryoglobulins, antinuclear antibodies, and anti-smooth muscle antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Rome University, La Sapienza, Italy. rnocente@libero.it
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nocente
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceccanti
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertazzoni
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cammarota
authors.forename: Nicolò Gentiloni
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Silveri
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000209:etiology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000209:etiology