Cutaneous vasculitis and cryoglobulinaemia type II associated with hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus and mixed cryoglobulinaernia

“…A number of other studies from various countries confirmed the magnitude of this association [23,24,25]. Bambara et al found HCV seropositivity in 7/9 patients with type I11 MC and in none with type I1 MC [23].…”

“…Since liver involvement is frequently found during the course of the disease [2, 5,6,7] Bambara [23] Durand [24] Casato [29] Ferri [5] Disdier [26] Ferri [27] De Bandt [33] Agnello [30] Ferri [39] Taillan [28] Dammacco [32] Galli [34] Pechere-Bertschi [35] Ballare [36] Ferri [37] Misiani [38] Agnello S-C: serum without cryoglobulins after cryoprecipitation; cryo: isolated cryoglobulins; anti-HCV: antibodies anti-hepatitis C virus detected by first (') or second (") generation ELISA and RIBA; * control diseases included patients with rheumatoid arthritis; Sjogren's syndrome; systemic lupus; and systemic sclerosis; t i n one patient anti-HCV level did not change when measured in both IgG purified from the cryoprecipitate and from supernatant; $ unclassified MC with glomerulonephritis; 9: non-cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis; f anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA were more concentrated in the cryoprecipitates than in the supernatant.…”

Relapsing Neuropathy Associated with Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

“…However, circulating immunecomplexes have been detected frequently in patients with not only type-B but also non-A, non-B hepatitis (9). Several authors have reported vasculitis of the skin as a complication ofHCVinfection (1,2). Anabnormal autoimmunestate, produced in association with HCVinfection, may play some role in the pathogenesis of vasculitis (2), which in turn could produce neuropathy.…”

Incidence, character and clinical relevance of mixed cryoglobulinaemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

“…Recently, HCV has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia based on the finding of HCV antibody and HCV-RNA in sera and cryoprecipitates of patients with mixed cryoglobulinaemia [6,7,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. In most of these series, patients were selected for the presence of mixed cryoglobulinaemia and all exhibited significant clinical manifestations related to the underlying cryoglobulinaemia.…”

“…Since the initial report of antibodies against HCV in patients with type II mixed cryoglobulinaemia in 1990 [13], several groups have found an increased prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia ranging from 30% to 98% positivity in sera and 25% to 78% in cryoglobulins [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. This suggests that HCV infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of cryoglobulinaemia.…”