title: Granulomatous hepatitis in a patient with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon-alpha.
abstract: Common adverse effects of IFN-alpha include flulike symptoms, headache, irritability, and bone marrow suppression. Hepatic side effects are unusual except in patients with pretreatment autoimmune hepatitis. Granuloma formation in the liver as a result of IFN-alpha therapy has never been reported. We described a 48-year-old female with chronic hepatitis C infection who developed granulomatous hepatitis following treatment with IFN-alpha. The granulomatous inflammation resolved after discontinuation of IFN-alpha treatment. Possible mechanisms for this unusual occurrence are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Veerabagu
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rabinovitz
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000628:therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins