A. Karim et al., Interstitial pneumonitis in a patient treated with alpha-interferon and ribavirin for hepatitis C infection, AM J MED SC, 322(4), 2001, pp. 233-235
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine","Medical Research General Topics
Hepatitis C is a common infection with worldwide prevalence. It has a varia
ble course and can lead to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular
carcinoma. Until recently a-interferon (IFN-alpha) was the only effective t
reatment available. Combination therapy with IFN-alpha and ribavirin has be
en found to be more efficacious than IFN-alpha alone. Various side effects
have been ascribed to interferon, such as arthralgias, myalgias, fatigue, a
nd gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Interstitial pneumonitis
is a rare but known complication of IFN-alpha when given at a high dosage
of 6 to 10 million units per day. Ribavirin is associated with dose-depende
nt hemolytic anemia, cough, dyspnea, rash, depression, and dyspepsia, altho
ugh a potential role in interferon-induced interstitial pneumonitis has not
been described. We describe a patient with an excellent clinical response
of chronic hepatitis C to combination therapy with IFN-alpha at a dosage of
3 million units per day and ribavirin. The patient developed interstitial
pneumonitis that resolved after discontinuation of IFN-alpha and ribavirin.
Given that interstitial pneumonitis has previously been reported with high
-dose IFN-alpha, this case suggests that this complication may occur with l
ower dosages of IFN-alpha, although a potential role for ribavirin in this
disorder at present remains speculative.