[Prevalence of extra-hepatic manifestations in infection with hepatitis C virus: study of 140 cases].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the extrahepatic manifestations (EHM) in chronic hepatitis C and to correlate signs with age, sex, degree of fibrosis and genotype of hepatitis C virus.

METHODS

One hundred forty cases of chronic infection by hepatitis C virus were investigated in a period of 10 years. By interrogation, clinical examination and laboratory tests, the EHM were determined. Correlations with age, sex, viral genotype and degree of fibrosis were determined by the chi2 test.

RESULTS

Mean age of our patients was 59 years (16-85 years). 74% were women. The genotype 1b was found in 75% of cases. The clinical EHM were found in 62% of cases: buccal dryness in 17.1% of cases, arthralgias in 33% of cases and fatigue in 65% of cases. 25% of patients had at least one biological EHM associated with chronic hepatitis C: proteinuria in 3 cases, cryoglobulinemia in 4 cases, dysthyroidism in 8 cases and more frequently a positive immunologie test. During the follow-up, we found one case of breast cancer, one case of rectal cancer, 2 cases of MALT lymphoma and one case pf splenic lymphoma. A positive correlation was found between the prevalence of EHM in chronic hepatitis C and the female sex. A degree of fibrosis ³ 2 in METAVIR classification was significantly associated with more important frequency of EHM.

CONCLUSIONS

EHM should be screened systematically in chronic infection with HCV. Pathogenic mechanisms in a B lymph node proliferation or diabetes and outcome of these abnormalities under antiviral therapy should be further investigated.