ISSN:
1440-1797
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary: Hepatitis C virus (HCV), in addition to causing both acute and chronic liver disease, may also be associated with several immunologically-mediated syndromes, particularly cryoglobulinaemia and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Although the glomerulonephritis may be a feature of a systemic cryoglobulinaemic syndrome, it may also present as a primary renal disease without evidence of vasculitis or liver disease. Most of these latter patients, however, will have detectable cryoglobulinaemia either at the time of presentation or with continued observation. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis of the glomerular disease. Most evidence supports the hypothesis that HCV associated glomerular disease results from the deposition of circulating immune complexes that are usually cryoprecipitable and which contain HCV, anti-HCV IgG, and rheumatoid factors. However, HCV antigens have yet to be identified in glomerular biopsies. This has raised the possibility that other pathogenic mechanisms may be involved, including auto-antibodies directed against glomerular antigens and factors related to chronic liver disease. Further studies are necessary to fully elucidate the pathogenesis of this recently recognized disease.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1797.1995.tb00003.x
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