In a recent study of a cohort of individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, HCV-associated arthritis was present in less than 10%. Few serologic features distinguished participants with or without arthritis, but self-reported joint swelling was more common in those with arthritis. Participants with chronic HCV infection enrolled in a population-based cohort study, and who had not received anti-viral treatment for HCV, were recruited. In a cross-sectional study, researchers assessed joint symptoms and signs, performed autoantibody and cytokine testing, and abstracted medical records for features of HCV and arthritis. They found:

• Of the 117 enrolled participants, 8 (6.8%) had HCV-associated arthritis.
• The participants with arthritis were younger than those without (median age 45 vs 52).
• Rheumatoid factor was commonly present among patients with HCV-associated arthritis.
• The only studied autoantibody found more commonly in patients with HCV arthritis than those without arthritis was antinuclear antibody (63% vs 23%).
• The only joint symptom significantly more common in hepatitis C arthritis was self-reported joint swelling (75% vs 26%).