title: [A study about hepatitis C virus infection in patients with psoriasis in a Brazilian reference center].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C is the major cause of liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma and shows a global prevalence of 3%. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with extrahepatic manifestations (e.g., cutaneous affections) and psoriasis has been reported as a comorbidity. However, there are few studies analyzing this association.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) To evaluate anti-HCV prevalence (confirmed by the detection of HCV-RNA) in patients with psoriasis and its potential clinical implications; 2) to analyze the prevalence of other infections in this population: hepatitis B virus (HBV), human T lymphotropic virus, subtypes I and II (HTLVI/II), and human immunodeficiency virus, subtypes I and II (HIV I/II).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is cross sectional study that included patients older than 18 years-old with psoriasis from a Teaching Hospital in Salvador, Bahia. An epidemiological questionnaire was administered and serological tests were performed: surface HBV antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs), anti-HTL VI/II, anti-HIV I/II, and anti-HCV. Anti-HCV positive results were confirmed by HCV-RNA detection and viral genotype was determined. Skin lesions were evaluated using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Liver biopsies were analyzed according to the METAVIR score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the 140 patients included in the study, 7.1% were anti-HCV positive confirmed by the detection of HCV RNA. This prevalence was higher than that in the city of Salvador (1.5%). Other serological results were: HBsAg 0%, anti-HBs 25.8%, HTLV I/II (0,9%), and HIV I/II 0%. PASI score was higher in positive anti-HCV patients than in their negative counterparts (19.5 versus 13.4). Histopathological analysis showed 66.7% of patients with METAVIR F3/F4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-HCV prevalence was higher in psoriasis patients than in the general population of the city. More severe skin lesions were found in HCV patients.
authors: Universidad Federal de Bahia (UFBa), Bahia, Brasil.
authors: Danilo Leite
authors: DL
authors: Andrade
authors: Maria de Fatima Paim
authors: Mde F
authors: de Oliveira
authors: Teodoro Felipe Pereira
authors: TF
authors: de Souza
authors: Rafaela Araujo
authors: RA
authors: Lima
authors: Ednaldo Andrade
authors: EA
authors: Bomfim
authors: Vitoria Regina Pedreira de Almeida
authors: VR
authors: Rêgo
authors: Raymundo
authors: R
authors: Paraná
authors: Maria Isabel
authors: MI
authors: Schinoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies