Hepatitis C-associated osteosclerosis (HCAO): report of a new case with involvement of the OPG/RANKL system.
We report a new case of hepatitis C-associated osteosclerosis (HCAO). The clinical presentation of the patient was an acquired deep severe bone pain with increased serum bone alkaline phosphatase activity (up to 12 times the upper limit of normal), and generalized bone sclerosis, temporally related to the hepatitis C-virus (HCV) infection. We documented in this patient an increase of circulating osteoprotegerin (OPG), and a concentration of circulating receptor activator for nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL) below the lower limit of the reference range. The observed abnormalities of the OPG/RANKL system may contribute to the maintenance of the positive balance of bone remodeling that characterizes patients with HCAO.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Catania OVE, Via Plebiscito 628, 95124, Catania, Italy. carmelo.fiore@tin.it
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Fiore
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Riccobene
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Mangiafico
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Santoro
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Pennisi
D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D010026:Osteosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D053245:RANK Ligand; D011859:Radiography; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000097:blood*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase