ISSN:
1569-8041
Keywords:
clinical features
;
HCV infection
;
lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma/immunocytoma
;
quality of life
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Background: The non-Hodgkin‘s lymphoma (NHL) subgroup most frequentlyassociated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the lymphoplasmacytoidlymphoma/immunocytoma (Lp-Ic). We have assessed the impact of the infectionon the clinical features, quality of life and survival of HCV+ve Lp-Icpatients as compared to its impact in HCV−ve patients. Patients and methods: Seventy patients with Lp-Ic consecutively observedover a six-year period were studied. Clinical, virological andhistopathological features were recorded at diagnosis. Quality of life wasassessed using a scoring system including disease-related symptoms,performance status, working ability, hospital admissions and therapiesrequired. Results: Eighteen patients (26%) with HCV infection wereidentified. Significant differences between those patients and theHCV−ve group included number of symptomatic patients, Hb levels, serumprotein levels, entity of the IgM monoclonal component, number of patientswith cryoglobulins and with organ (liver, kidney) involvement, and entityand pattern of bone marrow infiltration. Survival rates were similar (P =0.8383), but the quality-of-life score was significantly worse for theHCV+ve patients (P = 0.002). All anti-HCV Ab+ve patients tested positive forHCV RNA; genotype 2ac was detected in a significant proportion of cases. Conclusions: This study confirms that HCV infection is present in aboutone-third of patients with Lp-Ic. HCV infection does not seem to affect theoverall survival of patients with Lp-Ic, but it affects the clinicalexpression of the disease, so that the overall quality of life of HCV+vepatients is significantly worse.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1008265804550
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