Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
5665408 Autoimmunity Reviews 2017 19 Pages PDF
Abstract

•HCV causes EHMs, mostly of autoimmune/lymphoproliferative nature.•IFN-free AVT should be considered in HCV-EHMs.•AVT is a first line option in HCV-LPDs not needing urgent-life threatening measures.•Recommendations based on expert experience and specific literature are needed.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is both hepatotrophic and lymphotropic virus that causes liver as well extrahepatic manifestations including cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, the most frequent and studied condition, lymphoma, and neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine-metabolic or renal diseases.HCV-extrahepatic manifestations (HCV-EHMs) may severely affect the overall prognosis, while viral eradication significantly reduces non-liver related deaths.Different clinical manifestations may coexist in the same patient. Due to the variety of HCV clinical manifestations, a multidisciplinary approach along with appropriate therapeutic strategies are required. In the era of interferon-free anti-HCV treatments, international recommendations for the therapeutic management of HCV-EHMs are needed. This implies the need to define the best criteria to use antivirals and/or other therapeutic approaches. The present recommendations, based on qualified expert experience and specific literature, will focus on etiological (antiviral) therapies and/or traditional pathogenetic treatments that still maintain their therapeutic utility.

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