Cryoglobulinemia and associated rheumatic manifestations in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus infection

Abstract EN

Objective : This work was done to study the prevalence of cryoglobulinemia and its clinical manifestations that can occur in association with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Material and Methods: Thirty-five Egyptian patients diagnosed to have HCV infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were included in this study.

They were subjected to thorough clinical examination, in addition to laboratory tests searching for cryoglobulins, rheumatoid factor (RF), anti nuclear antibodies (ANA), complement 3 and 4 as well as liver and kidney function assessment.

Results : Cryoglobulins were present in 20% of the group of patients with HCV infection but none in the control group.

Quantitative assessment of the cryoglobulins revealed that their level in our patients was not high (<3%).

Rheumatic manifestations were present in 71% of HCV infected patients with positive cryoglobulinemia.

Myalgia, fibromyalgia and arthralgia were the commonest musculoskeletal manifestations in this group of +ve cryoglobulins patients with no significant difference between them and cryoglobulins -ve patients.

Complement 3 and 4 levels were not significantly different on comparing their levels between cryoglobulins positive and negative HCV infected patients.

Conclusion : Cryoglobulinemia is relatively a common association with HCV infection in Egyptian patients especially those with liver cirrhosis.

Rheumatic manifestations such as arthralgia, myalgia, and fibromyalgia are commonly associated with HCV.

Immunological disorders such as positive rheumatoid factor and low complement level are common in HCV infected patients.