Role of hepatitis c virus (HCV)‎ in the Pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis

الملخص EN

This study was done to determine whether there might be an association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and rheumatoid arthritis.

We determined the prevalence of HCV infection in 120 rheumatoid arthritic patients, in comparison with a group of 200 apparently healthy volunteers matching the patients group in age and sex.

HCV antibodies were detected with ELISA in 16 (13.3%) in the group of rheumatoid arthritis and in 17 (8.5%) of the controls (p< 0.05).

Serum HCV-RNA was found in 10 (8.3%) of rheumatoid arthritic patients, and in 12 (6%) of the controls (p>0.05).

It was also found that there was no correlation between HCV infection and age or sex of patients, duration of disease, disease activity, and presence of subcutaneous nodules, positive rheumatoid factor or erosions