Hepatitis C Management

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Questions

A 32-year-old woman was diagnosed 2 years earlier with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and hepatitis C infection. Her ITP is in remission, and she continues to take Prezolon, 10 mg/day. Her liver chemistry is normal and HCV PCR is positive (viral load 100,000 IU/mL). Does this indicate that the hepatitis C infection played a role in the ITP?

Based on the limited data in the literature, it would be reasonable to conclude that ITP occurs more frequently in hepatitis C-infected patients than in those without hepatitis C infection. But there are data suggesting that ITP could be induced during interferon therapy for hepatitis C. In time, ITP may prove to be one of several possible extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C infection.

For more information, see the treatment of HCV section in the Hepatitis C Management monograph.