CARDIOGENIC-SHOCK FOLLOWING RECOMBINANT ALPHA-2B INTERFERON THERAPY FOR CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C

A 57-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis C was treated with alpha-2b interferon (IFN). Forty-five days after the initiation of IFN therapy , she developed cardiogenic shock. Acute perimyocarditis as a cause of cardiogenic shock was clinically suspected by the findings of complet e atrioventricular block, regional wall motion abnormality and pericar dial effusion. Since IFN therapy may induce cardiogenic shock in some patients, it is important to carefully monitor patients under treatmen t with IFN for abnormal cardiac signs.