title: [Chronic hepatitis C in children: are extrahepatic manifestations an argument for standard therapy?].
abstract: Chronic hepatitis C is still an important health problem in children. Adequate management of those patients should be focused on two directions: disappearance or reduction of the viral load (conventional antiviral therapy) and treatment of autoimmune manifestations (corticoids, plasmapheresis, cytotoxic agents).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To associate extrahepatic manifestations with other disorders and to evaluate the evolution under specific (antiviral) and non-specific therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  43 children diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C and followed in the 2nd Pediatric Clinic Iaşi between January 2005 and June 2010.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  most children were diagnosed accidentally or for etiological investigations for elevated liver enzymes. Extrahepatic manifestations were found in 41.86% of patients, most of them with articular, skin and hematologic disorders, but also depression (2 cases) in those receiving interferon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children, extrahepatic manifestations in chronic hepatitis C infection are more rare than in adults, especially with articular involvement. In certain cases, interferon therapy can trigger those manifestations with an immune mechanism. It is essential to evaluate the autoimmunity markers before proceeding with antiviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Universitatea de Medicină si Farmacie Gr.T. Popa Iaşi, Facultatea de Medicină, Clinica a II-a Pediatrie, Spitalul Clinic de Urgenţă pentru Copii Sf. Maria Iaşi.
authors.forename: Alice Nicoleta
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Azoicăi
authors.forename: Evelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moraru
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000139:chemically induced; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014581:Urticaria / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha