Linked Life Data

11728995

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/11728995

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-11-30
pubmed:abstractText
Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) and glomerulonephritis are the most important extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In HCV-infected patients with MC, renal involvement worsens the overall prognosis because of a high incidence of infection or cardiovascular disease. The relationship between MC and HCV infection has prompted the use of antiviral therapy. Two patients with chronic HCV infection, type-II MC and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), presenting as nephrotic syndrome were treated with interferon (IFN)-alpha (3 MU 3 times per week) and ribavirin (15 mg/kg daily) for 6 months. Laboratory tests included measurement of anti-HCV antibodies, HCV RNA, and HCV genotyping, and characterization of circulating cryoglobulins. A pretreatment renal biopsy was performed, and the histopathologic lesions were scored according to the index of disease activity. Viremia and cryoglobulinemia were suppressed in both patients. However, a complete remission of proteinuria was observed in 1 patient only. The evaluation of the renal biopsy specimens revealed a mild MPGN (activity score: 5/24) in the patient with remission of proteinuria and a severe MPGN (activity score: 15/24) in the patient who maintained a nephrotic-range proteinuria. Although a fully satisfactory treatment is not yet available, we feel that a reasonable therapeutic strategy for HCV-infected patients with MC nephritis could be as follows: (1) antiviral treatment alone for patients with a low-grade kidney involvement, and (2) a short-term course of steroids and cytotoxic drugs followed by antiviral therapy for acute exacerbations and/or rapidly progressive GN.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
1523-6838
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
38
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
E35
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Interferon-alpha in combination with ribavirin as initial treatment for hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
pubmed:affiliation
Departments of Clinical Medicine, Nephrology, and Health Sciences, University of Parma, Italy. garini@ipruniv.cce.unipr.it
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Case Reports, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't