A possible aetiopathogenetic role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported in various immune-mediated disorders, such as mixed cryoglobulinaemia, which may be complicated by interstitial lung involvement; moreover, different viruses, including HCV, have been correlated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Here, a cohort of eight HCV-positive patients (M/F = 4/4, mean age 61 +/- 8 S.D. yr) with interstitial lung fibrosis and a variable number of rheumatic disorders are described. Interstitial lung involvement appeared medially 4.5 +/- 3.2 S.D. yr after the clinical onset of chronic hepatitis. During the clinical follow-up, some rheumatic symptoms were also recorded: articular involvement (four patients): mild sicca syndrome (one patient); severe polymyositis and cranial neuropathy (one patient); serum cryoglobulins and/or autoantibodies (eight patients). In all patients, a moderate (four patients) or severe (four patients) lung fibrosis was evaluated by means of high-resolution computed tomography. The presence of parenchymal radiotracer uptake on 67Ga scan (7/7 patients) and increased percentages of neutrophils (4/4 patients) and lymphocytes (2/4) at bronchoalveolar lavage suggested an active lung involvement. Different degrees of reduction of single breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) (mean value 57.6 +/- 15%, range 37-80) were observed in all cases, while spirometric abnormalities, consistent with a global restrictive pattern, were less frequently found. In all cases, anti-HCV antibodies and HCV viraemia were demonstrated: viral genome was also detected in peripheral lymphocytes from 4/4 subjects and in one case in lung biopsy specimens. A desquamative interstitial pneumonia pattern was demonstrated in two cases by lung biopsy. The present work supports the hypothesis that HCV chronic infection could represent a trigger factor for interstitial lung fibrosis and various rheumatic disorders.

Interstitial lung fibrosis and rheumatic disorders in patients with hepatitis C virus infection / Ferri, Clodoveo; La Civita, L; Fazzi, P; Solfanelli, S; Lombardini, F; Begliomini, E; Monti, M; Longombardo, G; Pasero, G; Zignego, A. L.. - In: BRITISH JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY. - ISSN 0263-7103. - STAMPA. - 36:(1997), pp. 360-365.

Interstitial lung fibrosis and rheumatic disorders in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.

FERRI, Clodoveo;
1997

Abstract

A possible aetiopathogenetic role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported in various immune-mediated disorders, such as mixed cryoglobulinaemia, which may be complicated by interstitial lung involvement; moreover, different viruses, including HCV, have been correlated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Here, a cohort of eight HCV-positive patients (M/F = 4/4, mean age 61 +/- 8 S.D. yr) with interstitial lung fibrosis and a variable number of rheumatic disorders are described. Interstitial lung involvement appeared medially 4.5 +/- 3.2 S.D. yr after the clinical onset of chronic hepatitis. During the clinical follow-up, some rheumatic symptoms were also recorded: articular involvement (four patients): mild sicca syndrome (one patient); severe polymyositis and cranial neuropathy (one patient); serum cryoglobulins and/or autoantibodies (eight patients). In all patients, a moderate (four patients) or severe (four patients) lung fibrosis was evaluated by means of high-resolution computed tomography. The presence of parenchymal radiotracer uptake on 67Ga scan (7/7 patients) and increased percentages of neutrophils (4/4 patients) and lymphocytes (2/4) at bronchoalveolar lavage suggested an active lung involvement. Different degrees of reduction of single breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) (mean value 57.6 +/- 15%, range 37-80) were observed in all cases, while spirometric abnormalities, consistent with a global restrictive pattern, were less frequently found. In all cases, anti-HCV antibodies and HCV viraemia were demonstrated: viral genome was also detected in peripheral lymphocytes from 4/4 subjects and in one case in lung biopsy specimens. A desquamative interstitial pneumonia pattern was demonstrated in two cases by lung biopsy. The present work supports the hypothesis that HCV chronic infection could represent a trigger factor for interstitial lung fibrosis and various rheumatic disorders.
1997
36
360
365
Interstitial lung fibrosis and rheumatic disorders in patients with hepatitis C virus infection / Ferri, Clodoveo; La Civita, L; Fazzi, P; Solfanelli, S; Lombardini, F; Begliomini, E; Monti, M; Longombardo, G; Pasero, G; Zignego, A. L.. - In: BRITISH JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY. - ISSN 0263-7103. - STAMPA. - 36:(1997), pp. 360-365.
Ferri, Clodoveo; La Civita, L; Fazzi, P; Solfanelli, S; Lombardini, F; Begliomini, E; Monti, M; Longombardo, G; Pasero, G; Zignego, A. L.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
lung and HCV.pdf

Solo gestori archivio

Tipologia: Versione pubblicata dall'editore
Dimensione 144.19 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
144.19 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/740834
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 7
  • Scopus 90
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 59
social impact