ABDUCENT NERVE PARALYSIS DURING INTERFERON ALPHA-2A THERAPY IN A CASEOF CHRONIC ACTIVE HEPATITIS-C

A 59-year-old woman with chronic active hepatitis C was treated with r ecombinant human interferon alpha-2a. After three days of administrati on, the patient complained of diplopia with dizziness and head heavine ss. Ophthalmic examinations revealed a disturbance of the movement of left eye ball to the outer side without any other neurological signs. The diplopia, which was diagnosed as abducent nerve paralysis, improve d rapidly and reversed at about 6 weeks after discontinuation of inter feron and during infusion of hydrocortisone. To our knowledge, this is the first report of abducent nerve paralysis associated with alpha-2a interferon.