Hepatitis C-related arthropathy: Diagnostic and treatment considerations.

Hepatitis C-related arthropathy is one of the most common extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Although symptoms can be disabling, the prognosis typically is benign. Patients who have atypical chronic inflammatory arthritis with an unknown cause should be evaluated for HCV infection. Testing for antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide is useful for distinguishing HCV-related arthropathy from rheumatoid arthritis. Early recognition of HCV infection greatly influences the selection of drug therapy. Although no clinical guidelines are available, many liver disease specialists favor using a stepwise approach to treatment. Future research efforts that focus on the pathogenesis of HCV-related arthropathy and novel therapeutic approaches are needed. (J Musculoskel Med. 2010;27:351-354).