THYROID-DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRO NIC HEPATITIS-C BEFORE AND AFTER INTERFERON THERAPY

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the thyroid function and the dysfunction after interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C, Material and methods: Between 1988 and 1994, 119 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon were reviewed 92 pat ients received interferon alfa for six or twelve months, 27 patients w ere treated with interferon beta for six months, Before, during and af ter interferon therapy, free thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, a ntimicrosomal antibodies and antityroglobulin antibodies were measured in 51 patients. None of the patients had abnormal thyroid function or autoimmune disease before treatment, Results: Among the interferon-tr eated patients, 6% developed biochemical evidence of thyroid dysfuncti on during or after therapy, Most cases had hypothyroidism. Thyroid dys function was statistically more frequent in the female sex, older pati ents and in patients who received greater total dose of interferon, In one patient the titters of antimicrosomal thyroid antibodies increase d from 1/10 to 1/40 and another patient was positive in a dilution of 1/80 by the time of onset of thyroid disease, Thyroid disease (hypothy roidism) developed in (3,5%) of untreated patients with chronic hepati tis C, Conclusions: Interferon therapy can development autoimmune thyr oid fenomena. Thyroid dysfunction and the presence of antithyroid anti bodies before therapy can be a contraindication to the use of interfer on in these patients, It is important that patients undergoing interfe ron therapy be tested for antithyroid antibodies and thyroid function before treatment and be monitored during the course of therapy, Also, it is important to evaluate the factors related with the development o f thyroid dysfunction (age, sex, interferon dose...).