title: Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and leukocytoclastic vasculitis without cryoglobulin in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: The etiopathogenesis of extrahepatic manifestations including vasculitis in the context of HCV infection is still unknown. We report a case with lethal extrahepatic manifestations due to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The patient presented leukocytoclastic vasculitis, sensorimotor neuropathy and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with positive rheumatoid factor but lacked cryoglobulin. Hypocomplementaemia and deposition of IgM and C3 in the vascular lesion and glomeruli suggested that immune complex disease played a role in the pathogenesis of extrahepatic manifestations independent of cryoglobulin. Although HCV was successfully eliminated by treatment with interferon alpha, she died of cryptococcal infection.
authors: Division of Rheumatology, Tokyo Metropolitan Ohtsuka Hospital, Tokyo.
authors: Ayako
authors: A
authors: Nakajima
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Adachi
authors: Michi
authors: M
authors: Tanaka
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Suwa
authors: Yoshihiro
authors: Y
authors: Yasuki
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Imaeda
authors: Shinichi
authors: S
authors: Inada
mesh_terms: D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000276:immunology; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003450:Cryoglobulins