[Steroids, interferon-alpha and ribavirin treatment of cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis concurrent with HCV infection]

G Ital Nefrol. 2002 Jan-Feb;19(1):79-81.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

The treatment of mixed cryoglobulinemia concurrent with HCV infection is still under debate. We report the case of a patient referred to our unit for a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with HCV infection. A nephrotic syndrome and a slight reduction of glomerular filtration rate were present. We treated him with alpha-interferon for six months and prednisone for two months. We achieved a remission of the nephrotic syndrome without any significant reduction of the viral load. One year after the therapy had been suspended, the nephrotic syndrome relapsed and subsequently responded to a combined treatment with interferon ribavirin and prednisone. HCV-RNA became suddenly and persistently negative.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cryoglobulinemia / drug therapy*
  • Cryoglobulinemia / etiology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / drug therapy*
  • Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / etiology
  • Hepacivirus / isolation & purification
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / complications
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Nephrotic Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Nephrotic Syndrome / etiology
  • Prednisone / administration & dosage
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use*
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Recurrence
  • Remission Induction
  • Ribavirin / administration & dosage
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*
  • Viral Load
  • Viremia / drug therapy

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon-alpha
  • RNA, Viral
  • Ribavirin
  • Prednisone