title: Long-term treatment with interferon-beta therapy for multiple sclerosis and occurrence of Graves' disease.
abstract: Interferon (IFN)-beta has become a widespread therapy for multiple sclerosis. As already reported for IFN-alpha, thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunctions have been observed also in course of IFN-beta therapy. Nevertheless, very few cases of Graves' disease, occurred in such condition, have been reported in literature. We here describe the case of a 40-year-old female affected by multiple sclerosis, who received IFN-beta-1b, 8 million IU s.c. every other day for her condition. After 22 months of cytokine administration, she developed a severe Graves' disease with persistently positive TR-Ab which suggested the withdrawal of the treatment. Our patient had performed a complete thyroid evaluation with normal findings, before and during the first 6 months of therapy. This case suggests that patients undergoing long-term IFN-beta therapy should be monitored for thyroid hormones and antibodies throughout the treatment as thyroidal side effect can be a late event.
authors.affiliation: Istituti di Endocrinologia, II Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rotondi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazziotti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manganella
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Del Buono
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: di Cristofaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Iorio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D013974:Thyroxine; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a