PSORIATIC-ARTHRITIS WITH SPINAL INVOLVEMENT IN A PATIENT RECEIVING ALPHA-INTERFERON FOR CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C

A 26-year-old male patient being treated with alpha-interferon for chr onic hepatitis C developed psoriasis, seronegative oligoarthritis and sacroiliitis after four months. The close temporal relationship betwee n the alpha-interferon therapy and the onset of skin and articular les ions strongly suggests that the drug played a role in the induction of the disease despite the absence of HLA antigens related to psoriatic arthritis. We cannot exclude the possibility that immunological altera tions associated with HCV infection could have constituted a predispos ing factor in the onset of the disease.