Abstract | BACKGROUND: During primary systemic vasculitides gastrointestinal (GI) involvement is associated with a poor outcome, leading to the use of immunosuppressive therapy. The significance of GI involvement during hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related systemic vasculitis has never been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: METHODS: Data from 163 patients were retrospectively reviewed to describe the presentation and outcome of patients with HCV-related systemic vasculitis with GI involvement (GI+), and to compare them with patients without GI involvement (GI-). RESULTS: GI manifestations were present in 12 (7.4%) patients. Abdominal pain was consistently present in GI+ patients, and half of patients presented with surgical abdomen and/or intestinal bleeding. GI+ compared to GI- patients had more frequent renal (75% vs 30%; p=0.003) and cardiac involvement (25% vs 2%; p=0.006), medium-vessel vasculitis (67% vs 22%; p=0.003) and higher mixed cryoglobulinaemia levels (2.2 g/l vs 1.2 g/l; p=0.07). After treatment, GI+ and GI- patients had similar rates of overall clinical response of the vasculitis and immunological and virological responses. HCV-MC vasculitis patients with GI involvement did not have poorer overall survival than those without. CONCLUSION: GI involvement is a rare manifestation of HCV-related vasculitis, associated with acute-onset and life-threatening manifestations. In contrast with primary vasculitides, GI+ patients do not seem to have poorer overall survival than GI- patients.
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Authors | Benjamin Terrier, David Saadoun, Damien Sène, Sami Scerra, Lucile Musset, Patrice Cacoub |
Journal | Gut
(Gut)
Vol. 59
Issue 12
Pg. 1709-15
(Dec 2010)
ISSN: 1468-3288 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 20841367
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Abdominal Pain
(virology)
- Acute Disease
- Aged
- Antiviral Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Epidemiologic Methods
- Female
- Gastrointestinal Diseases
(diagnostic imaging, virology)
- Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
(virology)
- Hepatitis C
(complications, drug therapy)
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prognosis
- Systemic Vasculitis
(diagnostic imaging, virology)
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed
- Treatment Outcome
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