Pulmonary Toxicity by Pegylated Interferon alpha-2a in a Patient with Chronic Hepatitis C.
- Author:
Byoung Kwan SON
1
;
Joo Hyun SOHN
;
Tae Yeob KIM
;
Yoon Kyung PARK
;
Yong Chul JEON
;
Dong Soo HAN
Author Information
1. Department of internal medicine, Hanyang University College of medicine, Guri, Korea. sonjh@hanyang.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Hepatitis C, chronic;
Peginterferon alfa-2a;
Toxicity;
Adverse effects;
Lung
- MeSH:
Antiviral Agents/administration & dosage/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy;
Humans;
Interferon Alfa-2a/administration & dosage/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Lung Diseases/*chemically induced/diagnosis/pathology;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Polyethylene Glycols/administration & dosage/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Ribavirin/administration & dosage/therapeutic use;
Treatment Outcome
- From:The Korean Journal of Hepatology
2007;13(1):103-107
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The combination therapy with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin has increasingly prescribed for chronic hepatitis C. Although many side effects of interferon such as flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric symptoms are well known, only several cases of interferon-induced pulmonary toxicity have been reported. Interferon-induced pulmonary toxicity usually develops from 2 weeks to 12 weeks after treatment for HCV infection. Diagnosis is commonly based on clinical findings such as a dry cough, dyspnea, hypoxemia, and a restrictive pattern in pulmonary function testing, bilateral diffuse parenchymal infiltrations, histopathological findings of interstitial pneumonitis, and exclusion of any other causative agents. Prompt withdrawal of the drug is the cornerstone of treatment. We report a case of PEG-IFN alpha-2a induced pulmonary toxicity in a 50-year-old male patient with hepatitis C. To our knowledge, this is the first case of pegylated interferon alpha-2a induced pulmonary toxicity in Korea.
