Evaluation of the liver condition in chronic hepatitis C virus patients with and without vasculitis

Aim of the workThe association between hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related vasculitis and severe hepatic fibrosis is a controversial issue. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the liver affection in a group of patients with HCV-related vasculitis and a control group with chronic HCV infection without vasculitis.Patients and methodsTwenty-six HCV associated vasculitis patients (22 females, 4 males) with a mean age of 51.9 ± 8.5 years (range 36–72 years) and a control group including 20 age- and sex matched HCV infected patients without any extra-hepatic autoimmune manifestations were recruited in this study. All patients and controls were evaluated by routine biochemical tests, conventional ultrasonography and Fibroscan.ResultsThe mean disease duration in patients with vasculitis and the control group was 7.5 ± 7.3 and 4.1 ± 3.6 years, respectively (p = 0.062). Mean aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin and international normalized ratio (INR) values were higher in the control group (p = 0.036, 0.041 and 0.017, respectively). Hepatomegaly was found in 11 (42.3%) vasculitis patients and 17 (85%) controls (p = 0.006), while portal hypertension was found in 4 (15.4%) vasculitis patients and 9 (45%) controls (p = 0.046). On Fibroscan, eleven vasculitis patients (42.3%) had mild to moderate liver fibrosis (F1–2), and 10 (38.5%) had severe liver fibrosis (F3–4), while only one patient (5%) of the control group had mild, and 17 (85%) had severe liver fibrosis (p = 0.002).ConclusionPatients with chronic HCV infection without vasculitis have worse liver functions and more advanced liver fibrosis than those with HCV related vasculitis.