Viruses | Free Full-Text | Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Hepatitis C Infection—Reversibility after HCV Eradication: A Single Center Study
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Submission received: 30 January 2024
/
Revised: 22 March 2024
/
Accepted: 24 March 2024
/
Published: 28 March 2024
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is characterized by a variety of extra-hepatic manifestations; peripheral neuropathy (PN) is one of the most common, especially when mixed cryoglobulinemia (MCG) is present. The prevalence and risk factors of HCV-related PN in the absence of MCG are largely unknown. We conducted a prospective, single-center study, examining the prevalence and reversibility of HCV-associated neuropathy in the absence of MCG. Nerve fiber density in the epidermis was evaluated through skin biopsy and electroneurography (ENG) before HCV-treatment initiation and 1 year post sustained virological remission (SVR). Forty HCV-infected individuals (nine HIV co-infected) with no other neuron-harming factors were included; four other HCV mono- and three HIV co-infected individuals were excluded due to presence of diabetes, B12 insufficiency, or neurotoxic drugs. Twelve consecutive controls with no neuron-harming conditions were also recruited; eight more were excluded due to meeting exclusion criteria. Four patients had ENG signs of polyneuropathy (two with HCV mono- and two with HIV co-infection), while seven more (five with HCV mono- and two with HIV co-infection) had signs of mono-neuropathy, leading to PN prevalences of 22.5% and 44% for mono- and co-infection, respectively (p value 0.179). The two patients with HCV mono-infection and polyneuropathy and the one with ulnar nerve damage showed ENG improvement 1 year post SVR. Regarding intraepidermal nerve density, HCV infection, irrespective of HIV co-infection, was correlated with a lower intraepidermal neuron density that improved 1 year post SVR (p value 0.0002 for HCV and 0.0326 for HCV/HIV co-infected patients). PN is common in HCV infection; successful eradication of HCV leads to PN improvement.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Androutsakos, T.; Tsantzali, I.; Karagiannakis, D.S.; Flevari, P.; Iakovou, D.; Pouliakis, A.; Kykalos, S.; Doris, S.; Xyla, V.
Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Hepatitis C Infection—Reversibility after HCV Eradication: A Single Center Study. Viruses 2024, 16, 522.
https://doi.org/10.3390/v16040522
Androutsakos T, Tsantzali I, Karagiannakis DS, Flevari P, Iakovou D, Pouliakis A, Kykalos S, Doris S, Xyla V.
Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Hepatitis C Infection—Reversibility after HCV Eradication: A Single Center Study. Viruses. 2024; 16(4):522.
https://doi.org/10.3390/v16040522
Chicago/Turabian Style
Androutsakos, Theodoros, Ioanna Tsantzali, Dimitrios S. Karagiannakis, Pagona Flevari, Despoina Iakovou, Abraham Pouliakis, Stylianos Kykalos, Stylianos Doris, and Vasileia Xyla.
2024. “Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Hepatitis C Infection—Reversibility after HCV Eradication: A Single Center Study” Viruses 16, no. 4: 522.
https://doi.org/10.3390/v16040522
Article Metrics
Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.