[Rheumatic syndromes during the course of HCV infection]

The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical features and serological abnormalities in patients(pts) with rheumatological symptoms in the course of HCV infection (5 pts) and interferon-alpha treatment (2 pts). The diagnosis of hepatitis C was based on positive history on jaundice and risk factors of HCV infection, abnormal liver laboratory tests, the presence of anti-HCV and HCV-RNA and on results of liver biopsy. Among the patients with rheumatological features in the course of HCV infection seropositive arthritis in 4 pts, leucocytoclastic vasculitis, clinical and serological manifestations of mixed cryoglobulinemia-in 3 pts were observed. Glomerulonephritis, Raynaud's phenomenon and antinuclear antibodies were found in 2 pts. Sjögren's syndrome with anti-Ro/La antibodies, polyneuropathy and myalgia were observed in single cases. The most frequent therapy were corticosteroids alone or in combination with chlorochine or azathioprine. Arthritis, leucocytoclastic vasculitis and serological abnormalities: antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor and low complement were seen in 2 pts with rheumatological features after the IFN-alpha treatment of HCV infection. Myalgia and xerostomia with anti-Ro antibody were found in one patient; lupus-like disease with anti-dsDNA antibody and autoimmune thyroiditis-in one patient. The therapy of these two cases was to withdraw interferon-alpha.