title: Treatment of rheumatic diseases in patients with HCV and HIV infection.
abstract: A wide variety of rheumatic diseases has been documented in the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In this conditions, physicians are refrained from using corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants agents because of the risk of favouring viral replication and the progression of the underlying viral disease. In the present review we have focused our attention on the possible role of cyclosporine A (CsA), anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) alpha agents in the treatment of HIV or HCV infected autoimmune patients. The results drown from the literature and from our personal experience confirm the safety of CsA and anti-TNF alpha agents, in terms of viral load and liver toxicity. A limited experience also suggest that both therapies can be given in combination in rheumatoid arthritis patients without increasing the risk of adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Reumatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Scienze Imunologiche, Università di Siena, Italy. galeazzi@unisi.it
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galeazzi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giannitti
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manganelli
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benucci
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scarpato
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bazzani
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caporali
authors.forename: Gian Domenico
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Sebastiani
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016572:Cyclosporine