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.
Keywords: HCV infection, HCV‐associated autoimmune disease, nephrotic syndrome, crescentic glomerulonephritis, renal failure
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