title: [Evaluation of side effects of interferon-alpha in 72 patients treated for chronic active hepatitis C].
abstract: Interferon alfa (INF alpha), which is used in chronic active viral hepatitis, presents some safety problems. Side effects observed in 72 treated patients with chronic active hepatitis C are analysed in this retrospective study. Doses used were 3 or 9 M IU, three times a week, for 12 to 24 weeks. There were no contra-indications to the treatment and all patients had the factors predictive of a satisfactory therapeutic response. Apart from general debility, there were side effects in 65 of the 72 patients as follows: flu-like syndrome (n = 39), gastrointestinal (n = 29), dermatological (n = 24), haematological (n = 23), neurological (n = 20), cardiovascular (n = 6) and thyroid (n = 6) disorders. For 30 per cent of the patients, the dose was decreased (n = 6) or the treatment was withdrawn, temporarily (n = 5) or permanently (n = 10). These results are in accordance with those published and emphasize the need for clinico-biological monitoring during and after treatment. Indeed delayed thyroid disorders appear to be relatively common.
authors.affiliation: Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, CHU sud, Amiens, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duché
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Decocq
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Capron-Chivrac
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andréjak
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha
vernacular_title: Bilan des effets indésirables de l'interféron alpha chez 72 patients traités pour hépatite C chronique active.