title: Immunological HCV-associated thrombocytopenia: short review.
abstract: Infection with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is affecting about 3% of the world's population, leading to liver damage, end-stage liver disease, and development of hepatocellular carcinoma, being thus the first indication for liver transplantation in the USA. Apart from the cirrhotic-liver-derived clinical signs and symptoms several conditions with immunological origin can also arise, such as, glomerulonephritis, pulmonary fibrosis, and thrombocytopenia. HCV-related autoimmune thrombocytopenia shows specific pathogenetic characteristics as well as symptoms and signs that differ in severity and frequency from symptoms in patients that are not HCV infected. Aim of this short paper is to estimate the epidemiological characteristics of the disease, to investigate the pathogenesis and clinical manifestation, and to propose treatment strategies according to the pertinent literature.
authors: Second Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Laiko Hospital, Athens University Medical School, Sakellariou 4 Street, Alimos, 17455 Athens, Greece. dimitroulisdimitrios@yahoo.com
authors: Dimitrios
authors: D
authors: Dimitroulis
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Valsami
authors: Paraskevas
authors: P
authors: Stamopoulos
authors: Gregory
authors: G
authors: Kouraklis
mesh_terms: D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology