Serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies during IFN-alpha2a treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
Twenty chronic hepatitis C patients with baseline levels of thyroid hormones, antithyroglobulin, and antimicrosomal antibodies within the normal range were monitored by thyroid testing during a 26-week treatment with interferon-alpha2a (IFN-alpha2a). The present study was aimed at retrospectively analyzing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibodies, employing stored serum samples obtained from these patients at baseline, at 12 weeks, and at the end of IFN-alpha2a treatment. Ten patients (group A) received IFN-alpha2a at a total dose of 474 million units (MU), and 10 patients (group B) at a total dose of 774 MU. None of the patients produced antithyroglobulin and antimicrosomal antibodies. Two patients in group A exhibited elevated TSH levels without free thyroid hormone alterations while on the treatment. At baseline, 1 patient in group A had a positive TSH binding inhibitory immunoglobulin, and 1 patient in group B was positive for thyroid-stimulating antibody at the end of treatment. Both patients remained euthyroid throughout the treatment. Treatment with IFN-alpha2a may infrequently induce the production of TSH receptor antibodies in chronic hepatitis C patients provided preexisting autoimmune thyroid disease is precluded.
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.
M
M
Wada
T
T
Miyoshi
M
M
Fujimoto
H
H
Kamimoto
A
A
Kinugasa
K
K
Sawada
T
T
Shimoyama
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins