Hepatitis C virus infection in psoriatic arthritis

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), compared with patients affected by non HCV-related rheumatic degenerative disorders. Methods. One-hundred consecutive subjects with PsA, and a statistically comparable group of 100 consecutive patients with peripheral osteoarthritis (OA) or sciatica due to L4 -L5 or L5-S1 herniated disc were tested for HCV infection with a third-generation microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA). Positive cases were submitted to a third-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) confirmatory test. Comparison between the HCV prevalence obtained in the 2 enrolled groups was performed using Fisher's exact test. Results. Anti-HCV antibodies were found with the MEIA method, in 1 patient with PsA, and in 4 patients with OA or sciatica. The RIBA method confirmed MEIA results in all positive patients. The difference in HCV prevalence detected in the PsA group and in the control group was not statistically significant (P ‫؍‬ 0.68). Furthermore, HCV prevalence in PsA patients was lower than the ones reported in different geographic areas of Italy. Conclusion. Our present report does not confirm previous data that indicated an increased prevalence of HCV in PsA patients, and as a consequence, does not sustain a possible trigger role of HCV in cases of PsA. The absence of clinical or instrumental resources that consent a definite differential diagnosis between PsA and HCV-related arthritis was outlined and analyzed.

Induction and exacerbation of psoriasis with Interferon‐alpha therapy for hepatitis C: A review and analysis of 36 cases

“…There is conflicting data on the association between HCV infection and psoriasis/psoriatic arthropathy independent of IFN‐α therapy. Studies have found no association between HCV infection and psoriasis 41,42 or psoriatic arthropathy, 43 an association between HCV infection and psoriatic arthropathy but not psoriasis, 44 or a statistically higher prevalence of HCV infection in patients with psoriasis 45–47 . In a recent multivariate analysis of over 12 000 patients, the prevalence of hepatitis C in psoriatic patients was 1.03%, compared with 0.56% in controls ( P < 0.001) 47 .…”

Is There a Relationship Between Psoriasis and Hepatitis C?: a Meta-analysis and Bioinformatics Investigation

“…A total of 11 studies, including 3 case control and 8 cross-sectional studies with 25,047 psoriasis patients and 4,091,631 controls provided data for this outcome [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. We identi ed substantial statistical heterogeneity across these 11 studies (I 2 = 89%).…”

Hepatitis C may enhance key amplifiers of psoriasis

“…An association between hepatitis C and psoriasis was first noted in 1995 by Yamamoto et al 24 While the prevalence of psoriasis in hepatitis C patients has not been shown to be significantly increased, 21,[25][26][27] there is conflicting data on the prevalence of HCV infection in psoriasis and psoriatic arthropathy patients (Table 3). Studies have found no increase in the rate of HCV infection in patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthropathy, [28][29][30][31] while others have found increased HCV infection in patients with psoriatic arthropathy, but not psoriasis. 32 In contrast, multiple studies have found a statistically higher prevalence of HCV infection in patients with psoriasis.…”