title: Prevalence and risk factors associated with the presence of peripheral neuropathy in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency and risk factors associated with peripheral neuropathy in a population of patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. Electrophysiological assessment included bilateral motor and sensory conduction studies of four limbs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one cases and 31 control subjects were studied. Eighteen patients (58%) from the group of patients infected with the hepatitis C virus had evidence of neuropathy. Only 3 (10%) persons from the control group exhibited neuropathy. Among the risk factors for neuropathy in the patients infected with hepatitis C virus, we found the following: positive rheumatoid factor, cryoglobulinemia, and cirrhosis or active hepatitis. Other risk factors were advanced age, prolonged time of evolution, high viral load of the hepatitis C virus, and low complement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of neuropathy encountered in our study was high (58%). In our study, a positive rheumatoid factor, cryoglobulins, and a high viral load were also associated with the presence of peripheral neuropathy. A high viral load could express possible direct viral damage.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición ;Salvador Zubirán;; daggerNeurophysiology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición ;Salvador Zubirán;; and the double daggerDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición ;Salvador Zubirán.;
authors.forename: José Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Téllez-Zenteno
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calva-Mercado
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weder-Cisneros
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Estañol
authors.forename: Josefina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosales
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Plascencia
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soto-Ramirez
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Nieva
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: García-Ramos