Rituximab for the treatment of glomerulonephritis in hepatitis C associated cryoglobulinaemia.

Abstract

Mixed-type cryoglobulins are strongly associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and may lead to vasculitis with renal involvement. The treatment of this condition is antiviral therapy for HCV, but this may be ineffective or not tolerated because of side effects. Alternative strategies such as immunosuppressive drugs and plasmapheresis are of limited use, especially in patients after liver transplantation (LTx). We describe an LTx patient with cryoglobulinaemia-associated glomerulonephritis, who was treated successfully with the B cell depleting monoclonal antibody rituximab.