Uzma Rasheed, Anila Nisar, Wajahat Aziz, Abid Zaheer Farooqi.
Rheumatological Manifstations of HCV Infection at a Tertiary Care Hospital.
Ann Pak Inst Med Sci Jan ;9(2):57-60.

Objective: To determine the frequency of different rheumatic manifestations of hepatitis C infection in a tertiary care hospital. Study design: Observational cross sectional study. Place and duration: Study was conducted at Rheumatology and Gastroenterology department of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, between August 2010 and May 2011. Subjects and Methods: Patients of either gender over 16 years of age with hepatitis C virus infection attending Gastroenterology clinic were recruited. Patients were evaluated for different rheumatic features through history, general physical and rheumatological examination followed by relevant investigations. Results: Out of a total of 100 patients there were 37(37%) males and 63 (63%) females. The mean age was 41.39 + 10.191years. Myalgias were the most common found in 79% followed by arthralgias in 49%, fibromyalgia 33%, Raynaud’s phenomenon 11%, paraesthesia 22%, numbness 46%, neuropathy 3%, vasculitis 0%, dry Eyes 4% and dry mouth in 32% of patients. Inflammatory arthritis was present in 14 patients. High titers of antiCCP antibodies were found in 3 patients who met the ARA criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. Low titers of antiCCP antibodies were present in 2 patients. Conclusion: HCV infected patients reported a wide variety of rheumatological manifestations. Myalgia, arthralgia, sicca symptom, fibromyalgia, arthritis, Raynaud’s phenomenon were the predominant features. AntiCCP antibodies can occasionally be found in low titers in patients of HCV infection with articular symptoms.

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