Extra-hepatic manifestation of hepatitis C virus infection

[Guest guest]

Extra-hepatic manifestation of hepatitis C virus infection

Science Centric

— 17 January 2008 | 02:01 GMT

In 1994, the team of Tchernev and Petrova from androvska Hospital in Sofia

examined a female patient with liver cirrhosis caused by chronic Hepatitis C

virus (HCV). They were intrigued by the patient’s many extra-hepatic

manifestations — vascular lesions on the lower limbs, acute pain in the joints,

intense tingling of the fingers, and extreme labour-impairing fatigue. They were

also intrigued by the presence of cryoglobulins in the patient’s blood. Two

years later, the patient developed enlarged lymph nodes on the neck. When one of

the nodes was histologically tested, the patient was found to have lymphoma.

This case spurred the interest of the investigators in the extra-hepatic

manifestations and complications of HCV infection, and for over a decade they

studied the links between HCV infection, cryoglobulinemia, and lymphoma.

A research article published on 28 December 2007 in the World Journal of

Gastroenterology addresses this problem. In a study of 136 Bulgarian patients

with HCV, the team of Tchernev and Petrova found 76.5% of the patients had

extra-hepatic manifestations. Common manifestations were fatigue (59.6%), renal

impairment (25%), type 2 diabetes (22.8%), paresthesia (19.9%), arthralgia

(18.4%), and purpura predominantly of the lower limbs (17.6%). Over 37% of the

patients had cryoglobulins, and 8.8% had B-cell lymphoma.

The study found positive links between the presence of extra-hepatic

manifestations and age, female gender, duration of the infection, infection by

transfusion of blood and blood products, and extensive liver fibrosis.

Therefore, elderly women with chronic HCV and advanced liver fibrosis, who were

infected by transfusion during childbirth, are at the highest risk of developing

extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection.

The study also showed most extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection are

associated with the presence of cryoglobulins. In particular, the risks of

developing B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma are much higher in cryoglobulin-positive

than in cryoglobulin-negative patients. In the study, 17.6% of

cryoglobulin-positive patients had lymphoma, whereas only 3.5% of

cryoglobulin-negative patients did.

Given the prevalence of HCV around the world, it is important for physicians to

recognise the extra-hepatic signs and symptoms of HCV infection. Patients who

exhibit such manifestations should be tested for HCV infection. This can lead to

prompt diagnosis and effective treatment of the infection before the development

of cryoglobulinemia, when treatment gives poor results or is ineffective.

Source: World Journal of Gastroenterology

http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/08011710.htm

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Extra-hepatic manifestation of hepatitis C virus infection

Science Centric

— 17 January 2008 | 02:01 GMT

In 1994, the team of Tchernev and Petrova from androvska Hospital in Sofia

examined a female patient with liver cirrhosis caused by chronic Hepatitis C

virus (HCV). They were intrigued by the patient’s many extra-hepatic

manifestations — vascular lesions on the lower limbs, acute pain in the joints,

intense tingling of the fingers, and extreme labour-impairing fatigue. They were

also intrigued by the presence of cryoglobulins in the patient’s blood. Two

years later, the patient developed enlarged lymph nodes on the neck. When one of

the nodes was histologically tested, the patient was found to have lymphoma.

This case spurred the interest of the investigators in the extra-hepatic

manifestations and complications of HCV infection, and for over a decade they

studied the links between HCV infection, cryoglobulinemia, and lymphoma.

A research article published on 28 December 2007 in the World Journal of

Gastroenterology addresses this problem. In a study of 136 Bulgarian patients

with HCV, the team of Tchernev and Petrova found 76.5% of the patients had

extra-hepatic manifestations. Common manifestations were fatigue (59.6%), renal

impairment (25%), type 2 diabetes (22.8%), paresthesia (19.9%), arthralgia

(18.4%), and purpura predominantly of the lower limbs (17.6%). Over 37% of the

patients had cryoglobulins, and 8.8% had B-cell lymphoma.

The study found positive links between the presence of extra-hepatic

manifestations and age, female gender, duration of the infection, infection by

transfusion of blood and blood products, and extensive liver fibrosis.

Therefore, elderly women with chronic HCV and advanced liver fibrosis, who were

infected by transfusion during childbirth, are at the highest risk of developing

extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection.

The study also showed most extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection are

associated with the presence of cryoglobulins. In particular, the risks of

developing B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma are much higher in cryoglobulin-positive

than in cryoglobulin-negative patients. In the study, 17.6% of

cryoglobulin-positive patients had lymphoma, whereas only 3.5% of

cryoglobulin-negative patients did.

Given the prevalence of HCV around the world, it is important for physicians to

recognise the extra-hepatic signs and symptoms of HCV infection. Patients who

exhibit such manifestations should be tested for HCV infection. This can lead to

prompt diagnosis and effective treatment of the infection before the development

of cryoglobulinemia, when treatment gives poor results or is ineffective.

Source: World Journal of Gastroenterology

http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/08011710.htm

_________________________________________________________________

Climb to the top of the charts!  Play the word scramble challenge with star

power.

http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_jan

[Guest guest]

Extra-hepatic manifestation of hepatitis C virus infection

Science Centric

— 17 January 2008 | 02:01 GMT

In 1994, the team of Tchernev and Petrova from androvska Hospital in Sofia

examined a female patient with liver cirrhosis caused by chronic Hepatitis C

virus (HCV). They were intrigued by the patient’s many extra-hepatic

manifestations — vascular lesions on the lower limbs, acute pain in the joints,

intense tingling of the fingers, and extreme labour-impairing fatigue. They were

also intrigued by the presence of cryoglobulins in the patient’s blood. Two

years later, the patient developed enlarged lymph nodes on the neck. When one of

the nodes was histologically tested, the patient was found to have lymphoma.

This case spurred the interest of the investigators in the extra-hepatic

manifestations and complications of HCV infection, and for over a decade they

studied the links between HCV infection, cryoglobulinemia, and lymphoma.

A research article published on 28 December 2007 in the World Journal of

Gastroenterology addresses this problem. In a study of 136 Bulgarian patients

with HCV, the team of Tchernev and Petrova found 76.5% of the patients had

extra-hepatic manifestations. Common manifestations were fatigue (59.6%), renal

impairment (25%), type 2 diabetes (22.8%), paresthesia (19.9%), arthralgia

(18.4%), and purpura predominantly of the lower limbs (17.6%). Over 37% of the

patients had cryoglobulins, and 8.8% had B-cell lymphoma.

The study found positive links between the presence of extra-hepatic

manifestations and age, female gender, duration of the infection, infection by

transfusion of blood and blood products, and extensive liver fibrosis.

Therefore, elderly women with chronic HCV and advanced liver fibrosis, who were

infected by transfusion during childbirth, are at the highest risk of developing

extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection.

The study also showed most extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection are

associated with the presence of cryoglobulins. In particular, the risks of

developing B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma are much higher in cryoglobulin-positive

than in cryoglobulin-negative patients. In the study, 17.6% of

cryoglobulin-positive patients had lymphoma, whereas only 3.5% of

cryoglobulin-negative patients did.

Given the prevalence of HCV around the world, it is important for physicians to

recognise the extra-hepatic signs and symptoms of HCV infection. Patients who

exhibit such manifestations should be tested for HCV infection. This can lead to

prompt diagnosis and effective treatment of the infection before the development

of cryoglobulinemia, when treatment gives poor results or is ineffective.

Source: World Journal of Gastroenterology

http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/08011710.htm

_________________________________________________________________

Climb to the top of the charts!  Play the word scramble challenge with star

power.

http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_jan

[Guest guest]

Extra-hepatic manifestation of hepatitis C virus infection

Science Centric

— 17 January 2008 | 02:01 GMT

In 1994, the team of Tchernev and Petrova from androvska Hospital in Sofia

examined a female patient with liver cirrhosis caused by chronic Hepatitis C

virus (HCV). They were intrigued by the patient’s many extra-hepatic

manifestations — vascular lesions on the lower limbs, acute pain in the joints,

intense tingling of the fingers, and extreme labour-impairing fatigue. They were

also intrigued by the presence of cryoglobulins in the patient’s blood. Two

years later, the patient developed enlarged lymph nodes on the neck. When one of

the nodes was histologically tested, the patient was found to have lymphoma.

This case spurred the interest of the investigators in the extra-hepatic

manifestations and complications of HCV infection, and for over a decade they

studied the links between HCV infection, cryoglobulinemia, and lymphoma.

A research article published on 28 December 2007 in the World Journal of

Gastroenterology addresses this problem. In a study of 136 Bulgarian patients

with HCV, the team of Tchernev and Petrova found 76.5% of the patients had

extra-hepatic manifestations. Common manifestations were fatigue (59.6%), renal

impairment (25%), type 2 diabetes (22.8%), paresthesia (19.9%), arthralgia

(18.4%), and purpura predominantly of the lower limbs (17.6%). Over 37% of the

patients had cryoglobulins, and 8.8% had B-cell lymphoma.

The study found positive links between the presence of extra-hepatic

manifestations and age, female gender, duration of the infection, infection by

transfusion of blood and blood products, and extensive liver fibrosis.

Therefore, elderly women with chronic HCV and advanced liver fibrosis, who were

infected by transfusion during childbirth, are at the highest risk of developing

extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection.

The study also showed most extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV infection are

associated with the presence of cryoglobulins. In particular, the risks of

developing B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma are much higher in cryoglobulin-positive

than in cryoglobulin-negative patients. In the study, 17.6% of

cryoglobulin-positive patients had lymphoma, whereas only 3.5% of

cryoglobulin-negative patients did.

Given the prevalence of HCV around the world, it is important for physicians to

recognise the extra-hepatic signs and symptoms of HCV infection. Patients who

exhibit such manifestations should be tested for HCV infection. This can lead to

prompt diagnosis and effective treatment of the infection before the development

of cryoglobulinemia, when treatment gives poor results or is ineffective.

Source: World Journal of Gastroenterology

http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/08011710.htm

_________________________________________________________________

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power.

http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_jan