Abstract
A 56-year-old woman presented with increased liver enzymes (GPT, GOT), arthralgias, Raynaud's syndrome and disturbance of sleep and concentration. Serology and liver biopsy indicated chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) and viral-induced liver cirrhosis with unremarkable liver synthesizing parameters. An HCV-triggered cryoglobinemia was excluded, but high elevated antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-RNP autoantibodies, typical serological parameters of mixed tissue collagenous (Sharp}s disease), were detectable. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) was performed to differentiate between cerebral vasculitis and mild hepatic encephalopathy. This detected abnormal pattern of cerebral metabolites (myo-inositol and choline), is specific for HE. After onset of an antiviral therapy (terferon/ribavirin), low protein diet with supplementation of l-ornithine-l-aspartate the arthralgia and neuropsychiatric symptoms rapidly improved and HCV-RNA PCR became negative. Unfortunately, after cessation of antiviral treatment the patient had a relapse of HCV with a worsening of the arthralgia and the Raynaud symptoms (HCV-triggered Sharp}s disease). Even in patients with mildly abnormal liver function and liver cirrhosis it is important to consider (mild) hepatic encephalopathy if neuropsychiatric symptoms occur.
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