Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C.

Shortly after the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, it was realized that this infectious agent caused more than just liver disease. A remarkable array of extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C has now been described. Many of these associated syndromes implicate the hepatitis C virus as a mediator of autoimmunity or of immune complex formation. These disorders include mixed essential cryoglobulinemia, autoimmune hepatitis, glomerulonephritis, thyroiditis, and possibly Sjogren's syndrome. The hepatitis C virus has also been strongly linked to two skin disorders: prophyria cutanea tarda and lichen planus. Other possible hepatitis-C-associated diseases described in the literature include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, IgA deficiency. Mooren's corneal ulcers, Behcet's syndrome, polyarthritis, Guillain-Barre' syndrome, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and others. A number of these reported diseases have either responded to or been cured by a therapeutic course of alpha interferon. This report discusses the reported extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C as of mid-1995.