Hepatitis B virus related cryoglobulinemic vasculitis: A multicentre open label study from the Gruppo Italiano di Studio delle Crioglobulinemie - GISC.

BACKGROUND: Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV) related to Hepatitis-B Virus (HBV) is rare and its treatment is ill-defined. AIMS: To describe clinical and treatment characteristics of HBV-related CV patients. In addition, the efficacy of treatment with antiviral agent nucleotide (NUC), including Entecavir, Adefovir, and Lamivudine, was explored. METHODS: In four Italian centres, 17 HBV-positive CV patients (median age 56 years, range 45-70) were enrolled. RESULTS: The extrahepatic manifestations were: purpura (100%), arthralgias (71%), peripheral neuropathy (29%), chronic hepatitis (47%), liver cirrhosis (29%), and glomerulonephritis (18%). Mixed cryoglobulinemias were type II (88%) and type III (12%). The median cryocrit was 3% (range 1-14), rheumatoid factor was 200U/L (range 20-5850), C4 was 12mg/dl (range 2-31), ALT 71U/L (range 36-114). All patients were HBsAg-positive and 80% anti-HbeAg-positive. At enrollment, they were treated with steroids (eight), Entecavir (five), Alpha-IFN (two), Adefovir and Lamivudine (one each). After NUC treatment, no disease progression was observed and, in all patients, HBV-DNA became undetectable. Moreover, a regression of purpura and a reduction of cryocrit were observed. Four patients died during therapy, two of kidney failure and two of liver cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: NUC therapy appeared to be safe and effective in CV-related HBV.