Serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies during IFN-alpha 2a treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Twenty chronic hepatitis C patients with baseline levels of thyroid hormone s, antithyroglobulin, and antimicrosomal antibodies within the normal range were monitored by thyroid testing during a 26-week treatment with interfer on-alpha 2a (IFN-alpha 2a). The present study was aimed at retrospectively analyzing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibodies, employing stored serum samples obtained from these patients at baseline, at 12 weeks, and at the end of IFN-alpha 2a treatment. Ten patients (group A) received IFN-alpha 2a at a total dose of 474 million units (MU), and 10 patients (gr oup B) at a total dose of 774 MU. None of the patients produced antithyrogl obulin and antimicrosomal antibodies. Two patients in group A exhibited ele vated TSH levels without free thyroid hormone alterations while on the trea tment. At baseline, 1 patient in group A had a positive TSH binding inhibit ory immunoglobulin, and 1 patient in group B was positive for thyroid-stimu lating antibody at the end of treatment. Both patients remained euthyroid t hroughout the treatment. Treatment with IFN-alpha 2a may infrequently induc e the production of TSH receptor antibodies in chronic hepatitis C patients provided preexisting autoimmune thyroid disease is precluded.