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Interferon versus steroids in patients with hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis
- Source :
- Digestive and Liver Disease. 32:708-715
- Publication Year :
- 2000
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2000.
-
Abstract
- Background/Aims. The association between mixed cryoglobulinaemic, cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis, and chronic hepatitis C virus infection has recently been described. The renal disease had usually been treated with immunosuppressive therapy, but, given the presence of viral infection, this therapy is no longer recommended. In this study, we compare steroid vs interferon therapy in a group of patients affected by hepatitis C virus positive cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis in the stationary phase. Patients/Methods. The diagnosis of cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis was made bearing in mind standard criteria. Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups receiving oral prednisone 0.2 mg/kg/die for 6 months (6 patients, group A) or lymphoblastoid interferon 3 MU, three times a week for 6 months (7 patients, group B). Hepatitis C virus-RNA was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and hepatitis C virus genotype according to Okamoto. Hepatitis C virus-RNA quantitation was performed by competitive polymerase chain reaction. Results. The 2 groups were comparable in terms of age and severity of kidney failure. All genotypes of hepatitis C virus were found with a prevalence of Type 1 b. In group A, 4 patients showed a partial response; in group B, 1 patient achieved complete remission, 4 a partial response, 2 patients in both groups showed no response. At the end of the treatment, all patients in both groups relapsed. Only 1 patient in group B became hepatitis C virus-RNA negative, and recovered from cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis. Conclusions. Interferon seems to be an effective drug in the treatment of cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis, but dosage and length of treatment still need to be addressed by large multicentre studies.
- Subjects :
- Male
Genotype
Hepatitis C virus
Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Alpha interferon
Hepacivirus
medicine.disease_cause
Chronic liver disease
Antiviral Agents
Virus
Immunophenotyping
Glomerulonephritis
Prednisone
Interferon
medicine
Humans
Prospective Studies
Aged
Hepatology
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
business.industry
Gastroenterology
Interferon-alpha
Hepatitis C
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Cryoglobulinemia
Hepatitis C Virus Positive
Immunology
RNA, Viral
Female
business
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15908658
- Volume :
- 32
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Digestive and Liver Disease
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a5a31bbdeaaccc1892bf2140081dbec4