Persistent cryoglobulinemic vasculitis following successful treatment of hepatitis C virus

James W Levine; Carmen Gota; Barri J Fessler; Leonard H Calabrese; Sheldon M Cooper

Persistent cryoglobulinemic vasculitis following successful treatment of hepatitis C virus

J Rheumatol. 2005 Jun;32(6):1164-7.

Authors

James W Levine¹, Carmen Gota, Barri J Fessler, Leonard H Calabrese, Sheldon M Cooper

Affiliation

¹ Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Division, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA.

PMID: 15940780

Abstract

There is a well established link between type II mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and HCV is believed to be the cause of cryoprotein formation and tissue deposition. Successful treatment of HCV infection has resulted in resolution of cryoglobulinemia and vasculitis. We describe 4 patients who had persistent MC and vasculitis despite successful eradication of HCV with antiviral therapy.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
Cryoglobulinemia / etiology*
Cryoglobulinemia / pathology
Female
Hepacivirus / drug effects*
Hepacivirus / genetics
Hepacivirus / isolation & purification
Hepatitis C* / complications
Hepatitis C* / drug therapy
Hepatitis C* / pathology
Humans
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use
Male
Middle Aged
Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use
RNA, Viral / analysis
Recombinant Proteins
Retrospective Studies
Ribavirin / therapeutic use
Vasculitis / etiology*
Vasculitis / pathology

Substances

Antiviral Agents
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha
RNA, Viral
Recombinant Proteins
Polyethylene Glycols
Ribavirin
peginterferon alfa-2a