What conditions outside the liver are associated with hepatitis C?
Most of the signs and symptoms of HCV relate to the liver. Less commonly, HCV causes conditions outside of the liver. • An example is when the body produces unusual antibodies called ‘cryoglobulins’. These cryoglobulins cause inflammation of the arteries (vasculitis) which may damage the skin, joints, and kidneys. Patients with cryoglobulinemia may have joint pain, arthritis, a raised purple rash on the legs, generalized pain or swelling. In addition, these patients may develop Raynaud’s phenomenon, in which the fingers and toes turn color (white, then purple, then red) and become painful at cold temperatures. • Two skin conditions, lichen planus and porphyria cutanea tarda, have been associated with chronic infection with HCV. • For reasons that are unclear, diabetes is three times more common among patients with chronic HCV infection than in the general population. • Low platelet counts may occur as a result of antibody-mediated platelet destruction. • HCV also is associated with B-c
