A case of sudden-onset hearing loss in a patient treated with peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C.
10.3350/kjhep.2009.15.3.370
- Author:
Min Ki SHIN
1
;
Tae Hyo KIM
;
Kang JU
;
Chang Yoon HA
;
Hyun Ju MIN
;
Woon Tae JUNG
;
Ok Jae LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine and Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea. kimthy@medimail.co.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Chronic hepatitis C;
Peginterferon alfa-2b;
Hearing loss, Sudden;
Adverse effects
- MeSH:
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use;
Antiviral Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Audiometry, Pure-Tone;
Drug Therapy, Combination;
Hearing Loss, Sudden/chemically induced/*diagnosis;
Hepatitis C, Chronic/diagnosis/*drug therapy;
Humans;
Interferon Alfa-2b/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Polyethylene Glycols/*adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Prednisone/therapeutic use;
Ribavirin/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
- From:The Korean Journal of Hepatology
2009;15(3):370-374
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Combination therapy of pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin has been associated with various adverse effects, but sudden-onset hearing loss is uncommon. We report a 60-year-old male patient who developed sudden-onset hearing loss during combination therapy with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. This patient had been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C (genotype Ib) and early-stage liver cirrhosis 3 years previously, and had been treated with conventional interferon-alpha and ribavirin for 12 months. However, 6 months from the end of the treatment course the patient relapsed and received combination retreatment with pegylated interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin. He developed sudden-onset right-side hearing loss and tinnitus 42 weeks after the start of this retreatment. Pure-tone audiometry revealed a right-side hearing loss of 60~90dB. The patient consequently immediately discontinued the pegylated interferon therapy and was given prednisone 60 mg/day for 10 days, after which the hearing loss had almost completely recovered.
