Successful treatment with cyclosporine A of HCV-driven chronic liver disease mimicking autoimmune hepatitis in a patient with common variable immunodeficiency

Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2005;27(4):535-43. doi: 10.1080/08923970500416723.

Abstract

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the commonest primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by defective antibody production and various degrees of T cell numbers abnormality or impaired proliferation to mitogens. Clinical features include recurrent bacterial sinopulmonary and gastrointestinal infections. Autoimmunity is very common in CVID, occurring in approximately 25% of the patients particularly with autoimmune thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Persistent antigen stimulation, secondary to a defective eradication of pathogens followed by a compensatory exaggerated chronic inflammatory response, is the primary cause leading to autoimmunity. Here we describe a girl with CVID in whom a chronic liver disease mimicking autoimmune hepatitis developed after hepatitis C virus infection. The immunosuppressive treatment with cyclosporine A proved effective in reversing liver disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Common Variable Immunodeficiency / complications*
  • Cyclosporine / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / complications
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / etiology
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Liver / pathology

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Cyclosporine