[Systemic sarcoidosis during interferon-alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus infection].
A 62-year-old white woman with chronic hepatitis C virus infection was diagnosed with systemic sarcoidosis during treatment with interferon-alpha. Seventeen cases of sarcoidosis associated with interferon treatment have been reported, with only 8 inpatients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Our patient, with no past history of sarcoidosis, developed subcutaneous sarcoid nodules, arthritis, uveitis, pneumonitis and heart involvement two months after she was started on treatment with interferon-alpha. Her symptoms resolved when she began corticosteroid therapy and interferon-alpha was stopped. This case report suggests that exogenous interferon-alpha may trigger or contribute to the development of this multisystem granulomatous disorder in which interferon-gamma and CD4 + T-lymphocyte are mainly involved. Patients should be monitored during and following interferon-alpha therapy, since the autoimmune diseases induced by interferon therapy do not always improve after cessation of treatment.
Cacoub
P
P
Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris.
Sbaï
A
A
Francès
C
C
Génesti
C
C
Hausfater
P
P
Piette
J C
JC
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013256:Steroids; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D013256:Steroids