Hepatitis C physical examination

Clinical Findings According to Disease Stages

• Acute

  • Mild or absent symptoms (7-8 weeks after exposure)

• Chronic

  • Fatigue

• Late Complications

  • Cirrhosis
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotics (1-4%/year)

• Extrahepatic Symptoms

  • Cryoglobulinemia (~50%)

    • Only 10-15% of patients with +cryos have symptoms
    • Symptoms

      • Arthralgias
      • Weakness
      • Purpura
      • Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN)

  • Pruritus, psoriasis, Raynaud’s phenomenon (6-20%)
  • Sicca syndrome (10-12%)
  • Neuropathy (5-9%)
  • Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), lichen planus (1%)

References