Autoimmunity and extrahepatic manifestations in treatment-naïve children with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been associated with autoimmunity and extrahepatic manifestations in adults. Few data are available on these topics in children. Nonorgan specific auto-antibodies development is part of the natural course of chronic hepatitis C in children. Smooth muscle autoantibody is the most common autoantibody found, while liver-kidney microsomal type-1 antibody positivity is the most peculiar autoimmune feature of children with HCV infection. The clinical significance of non-organ specific autoantibodies in the course of paediatric chronic hepatitis C is still debated. Autoantibody positivity can be considered neutral for most patients, while it can be associated with negative connotations for others, especially those positive for liver-kidney microsomal type-1 autoantibody. Subclinical hypothyroidism but not autoimmune thyroiditis has been demonstrated in HCV infection in children, while only few cases of HCV-associated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis have been described. Single reports are available in the literature reporting the anecdotal association between chronic hepatitis C and other extrahepatic manifestations such as myopathy and opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome. Despite the low incidence of extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C in children, overall, available data suggest a careful monitoring.
Paediatric and Liver Unit, Meyer Children University Hospital of Florence, Italy. g.indolfi@meyer.it
Giuseppe
G
Indolfi
Elisa
E
Bartolini
Biagio
B
Olivito
Chiara
C
Azzari
Massimo
M
Resti
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002648:Child; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000209:etiology; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies