Development of arthritis and hypothyroidism during alpha-interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C

Alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) therapy may induce, reveal or exacerbate various autoimmune-related disorders. The most common is the development of autoantibodies, while clinically overt autoimmune diseases are rare. We describe a 49-year-old woman who developed seronegative rheumatoid-like arthritis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inClinical and experimental rheumatology Vol. 15; no. 4; p. 415
Main Authors Pittau, E, Bogliolo, A, Tinti, A, Mela, Q, Ibba, G, Salis, G, Perpignano, G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Italy 01.07.1997
Subjects
Antiviral Agents - adverse effects
Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - chemically induced
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - immunology
Autoantibodies - analysis
Chronic Disease
Female
Hepatitis C - therapy
Humans
Hypothyroidism - chemically induced
Hypothyroidism - immunology
Interferon-alpha - adverse effects
Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use
Middle Aged
Thyroglobulin - immunology
Thyroid Function Tests
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Summary:Alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) therapy may induce, reveal or exacerbate various autoimmune-related disorders. The most common is the development of autoantibodies, while clinically overt autoimmune diseases are rare. We describe a 49-year-old woman who developed seronegative rheumatoid-like arthritis and autoimmune hypothyroidism after 7 months of human lymphoblastoid alpha-IFN therapy given for hepatitis C virus-related chronic active hepatitis (CAH-HCV). There was no family or personal history of autoimmune, thyroid or articular diseases. Our patient required continuous therapy for arthritis and hypothyroidism despite discontinuation of alpha-IFN. This suggests that alpha-IFN therapy may induce the contemporary appearance of two different persistent autoimmune-related diseases in the same patient. However, chronic HCV infection may play an important adjuvant role in the development of these diseases.
ISSN:0392-856X
1593-098X