CRYOGLOBULINEMIC VASCULITIS ASSOCIATED WITH HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-INFECTION - A REPORT OF 8 CASES

Cryoglobulinemia has an unknown etiology in many cases, In the last years, hepatitis C virus has been known to be involved as a causative agent of so called essential mixed cryoglobulinemia, We report 8 patients suffering from cutaneous vasculitis and chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Their sera showed cryoglobulinemia (6 cases mixed, 2 cases not typified), rheumatoid factor and complement consume, Their hepatitis C virus infection was confirmed by PCR. Hepatitis C virus RNA was found by PCR in 6/6 cryoprecipitates and 5/6 supernatants, The patients were followed for 0.5-12 years. Three of them developed renal affection (2 membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, 1 not biopsied), Two patients were treated with alpha interferon, One patient noted a marked improvement in her cutaneous vasculitis with interferon treatment, lasting for 18 months after the end of treatment, We recommend the search of hepatitis C virus infection in every case of mixed cryoglobulinemia. Interferon therapy may be useful in some of these cases.