Background/aims: Chronic hepatitis C virus infections are often associated with extra-hepatic immunological manifestations, including various autoimmune disorders. The aims of this study were: (i) to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus markers in patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, and (ii) to determine whether a relationship could exist between autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura and hepatitis C virus infections.
Methods: One hundred and thirty-nine patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (45 men, 94 women, mean age 42 years, range 16-90) were studied.
Results: Anti-HCV antibodies were sought in their first and last available cryopreserved sera. In case of seropositivity, all their available cryopreserved sera were tested for anti-HCV antibodies and for HCV-RNA. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 14 of the 139 patients (10%). Four patients had transient anti-HCV seropositivity due to passive transfer of anti-HCV antibodies secondary to the infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin concentrates. Three patients seroconverted during follow up, due to intravenous drug use in one case, transfusion of non-HCV-screened blood units in one case, and infusion of intravenous immunoglobulins in one case. Seven patients had chronic hepatitis C discovered at the same time as autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura. In two of them, hepatitis C virus transmission was the consequence of autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura treatment but, in five cases, hepatitis C virus infection predated autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, so that the role of hepatitis C virus in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura could be suggested.
Conclusions: Whereas hepatitis C virus does not appear to be the main etiological agent of autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura can be envisaged. On the other hand, treatment of autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura or autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura-related symptoms by blood product infusion can be complicated by hepatitis C virus transmission.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-8278(95)80027-1 | DOI Listing |
Eur J Haematol
January 2025
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Hematologic complications are common in pregnancy and can significantly impact both maternal and fetal health. Recognizing and treating these complications can be challenging due to the limited evidence available to guide clinical consultants. Iron deficiency anemia is the most prevalent hematologic issue in pregnancy and often occurs due to increased maternal blood volume and the nutritional demands of the growing fetus.
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December 2024
General and Family Medicine, Câmara de Lobos Health Center, Serviço de Saúde da Região Autónoma da Madeira, Entidade Pública Empresarial da Região Autónoma da Madeira (SESARAM, EPERAM), Câmara de Lobos, PRT.
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune condition characterized by a reduced platelet count due to enhanced peripheral destruction and impaired platelet production. While thrombocytopenia is a well-documented complication of various viral infections, cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of the Herpesviridae family, is primarily associated with infections in immunocompromised patients and is rarely implicated in causing severe thrombocytopenia in immunocompetent patients. This article aims to highlight the importance of considering CMV as a significant etiological factor in ITP, particularly in cases of asymptomatic thrombocytopenia.
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December 2024
General Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, IND.
Sci Rep
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
To investigate for the risk of uveitis among such patients. A retrospective cohort study utilized the TriNetX database and recruited pediatric autoimmune patients diagnosed between January 1st 2004 and December 31st 2022. The non-autoimmune cohort were randomly selected control patients matched by sex, age, and index year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRheumatol Int
December 2024
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
Cold agglutinin disease, a subtype of cold-type autoimmune hemolytic anemia, is referred to as cold agglutinin syndrome (CAS) when it develops secondary to other conditions. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the peripheral destruction of platelets. While both CAS and ITP can occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), their concurrent manifestation in a single patient has not been reported, leaving the optimal treatment strategy for such a complex case unclear.
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