A185 IMPACT OF HEPATITIS C ERADICATION USING DIRECT ACTING ANTIVIRALS ON CONCURRENT PRIMARY BILIARY CHOLANGITIS AND ASSOCIATED AUTOIMMUNITY.

摘要

BackgroundChronic Hepatitis C Virus infection has been commonly linked to the development of autoimmunity, in part through activation of B cells. As well, B cells have been shown to play an important pathogenic role in Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). Patients with concurrent HCV infection and PBC have an increased risk of more rapidly progressive disease, although the mechanism underlying this effect is poorly understood. However, it seemed plausible that HCV infection could enhance PBC-associated autoimmunity thereby worsening disease.