Development of thyroid disease during therapy of chronic viral hepatitis with interferon alfa.
Six of 237 (2.5%) patients with chronic viral hepatitis who were treated with recombinant interferon alfa developed thyroid disease while on treatment. Three patients developed hyperthyroidism, two of whom developed detectable levels of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin; three patients developed hypothyroidism in association with high titers of antithyroglobulin and/or antimicrosomal antibodies. The thyroid disease did not remit when interferon therapy was stopped, and all six patients required definitive therapy for the thyroid disease. These findings suggest that a small proportion of patients treated with interferon alfa develop autoimmune reactions and can develop autoimmune thyroid disease.
Lisker-Melman
M
M
Liver Diseases Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Di Bisceglie
A M
AM
Usala
S J
SJ
Weintraub
B
B
Murray
L M
LM
Hoofnagle
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood
D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013972:Thyrotropin