Extrahepatic disease caused by hepatitis C? The development of multiple myeloma in a patient with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) – A case report

An association between CHC and essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia and CLL has been suggested, however a causative role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in these conditions has not been established. The authors report the case of a 50 year-old women with CHC followed-up since 1998 with high viral load (13.47 MEQ/ml), genotype 1b and moderately elevated liver function tests (LFTs). Laboratory data Liver biopsy revealed moderate activity (grade 5/18, stage I). In April 1999 one year interferon therapy (3×5 ME/week) was started. HCV RNA became negative along with the normalization of (LFTs), however the patient relapsed in…