BackgroundChronic hepatitis C (CHC) is assimilated to a systemic disease because of his multiple extrahepatic manifestations notably rheumatological.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determinate the prevalence and the characteristics of rheumatological manifestations (RM) associated with CHC.MethodsA retrospective study including all patients suffering from CHC followed over a period of 11 years (2002–2012). Were excluded all patients co-infected by hepatitis B virus or by human immunodefficiency virus and those having decompensated cirrhosis. Different RM were collected and analysed according to the epidemiological, clinico-biological, immunological, virological and histological data of the CHC.ResultsTwo hundred and four patients affected by CHC were included, meanly aged by 52 years [22–66 years]. The sex-ratio was 0,46. MR were noted in 76 patients (37,25%) dominated by inflammatory polyarthralgia of big joints (88,25%). Non erosive arthritis was observed in a woman and was localised to the proximal interphalangeal articulation of the index. Myalgia were noted in 11 cases (14,47%) among them, 2 appeared under antiviral treatment. Sicca Syndrome was observed in 17 cases (22,36%). RM were associated to other extrahepatic manifestations of CHC in 69,7% of cases, notably to mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) (60%) and to antinuclear antibodies (21,6%). Anti DNA, anti SSA, anti SSB, rheumatoid factor and anti CCP were absent in all cases. A partial to total amelioration of RM was noted in almost patients under antiviral treatment and sometimes associated to symptomatic measures. In univariate analyse, only feminal sexe and presence of MC were significatly correlated to the presence of MR.ConclusionsDuring CHC, MR are frequent, dominated by arthralgia, myalgia and sicca syndrome. Authentic arthritis are rare and constitute a diagnostic problem essentially when they inaugurate the disease. MC is the immunological factor the most associated with RM. Treatment of MR still antiviral.Disclosure of InterestNone declared

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