The effect of antiviral therapy on hepatitis C virus-related thrombocytopenia: a case report

BMC Research Notes

Marcello Persico²  Marco Romano¹  Mario Masarone²  Valerio Rosato³  Rita Lebano³ 

[1] Department of Gastroenterology, Second University of Naples, Napoli, Italy;Department of Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy;Department of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Second University of Naples, Napoli, Italy

关键词: Steroids;    Antiviral therapy;    Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura;    HCV;   

Others  :  1134727
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-59

 received in 2013-02-28, accepted in 2014-01-20,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura is an immunological disorder characterized by increased platelet destruction due to presence of anti-platelet autoantibodies. Hepatitis C virus infection, which is one of the most common chronic viral infections worldwide, may cause secondary chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 51-year-old Caucasian female with hepatitis C virus infection who developed a severe, reversible, immune thrombocytopenia. Platelet count was as low as 56.000/mm³, hepatitis C virus serology was positive, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase and gamma-glutamyltransferase serum levels were elevated. Disorders potentially associated with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura were ruled out. A corticosteroid treatment was started and led to an increase in platelet count. The patient was then treated with pegylated-interferon alpha 2a and ribavirin. After four weeks of treatment hepatitis C virus - ribonucleic acid became undetectable and steroid treatment was discontinued. Six months of antiviral therapy achieved a sustained biochemical and virological response together with persistence of normal platelet count.

Conclusion

In our case report hepatitis C virus seemed to play a pathogenic role in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura. Moreover, the successful response (negative hepatitis C virus - ribonucleic acid) to tapered steroids and antiviral therapy was useful to revert thrombocytopenia.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Lebano et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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