HCV infection complicated with nephrotic syndrome, immune complex crescentic glomerulonephritis and acute renal failure: a case report

Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2005 Oct;21(10):470-4. doi: 10.1016/S1607-551X(09)70153-6.

Abstract

There is ample evidence suggesting that hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated autoimmunity plays a role in a broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases, which are usually overlooked. We report on a case of nephrotic syndrome, palpable purpura, cryoglobulinemia, hypocomplementemia, and acute renal failure complicated by immune complex glomerulonephritis (GN). The patient is a 64-year-old man with HCV infection, who was initially considered to present only an HCV-associated cryoglobulinemic GN. However, renal biopsy revealed a "full house" immune complex crescentic GN, which led to our subsequent investigation. The attending clinicians faced what is a common dilemma, where an HCV-associated autoimmune disease inevitably switches to a lupus-like GN. Hence, we also discuss treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / etiology*
  • Basement Membrane / pathology
  • Basement Membrane / ultrastructure
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Glomerulonephritis / etiology*
  • Glomerulonephritis / immunology
  • Hepatitis C / complications*
  • Humans
  • Immune Complex Diseases / etiology
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Kidney Glomerulus / pathology
  • Kidney Glomerulus / ultrastructure
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Middle Aged
  • Nephrotic Syndrome / etiology*
  • Purpura / etiology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G