title: Acute pancreatitis attributed to the use of interferon alfa-2b.
abstract: Two patients experienced episodes of acute pancreatitis shortly after starting treatment with interferon alfa-2b (IFN-alpha) for a chronic hepatitis C infection. The first patient was a 40-year-old man who developed acute pancreatitis after 15 weeks of treatment with 3 MU IFN-alpha subcutaneously (SC) 3 times weekly and 1200 mg ribavirin. After disappearance of symptoms and normalization of laboratory values, oral intake of solid foods and IFN-alpha therapy were restarted. Within hours, a relapse of acute pancreatitis occurred. A rechallenge with IFN-alpha 4 days later was followed by a prompt increase in serum lipase level, and IFN-alpha therapy was discontinued. The second patient was a 38-year-old man who developed acute pancreatitis 2 hours after SC administration of 5 MU IFN-alpha. Ultrasound endoscopy showed sludge in the gallbladder. The patient was rechallenged 5 weeks later with 3 MU IFN-alpha SC. Although serum amylase and lipase levels increased after readministration of IFN-alpha, treatment was continued. The patient was readmitted 2 weeks later with severe abdominal pain, and IFN-alpha administration was discontinued. Considering the temporal relationship between the start of IFN-alpha treatment and development of acute pancreatitis, the absence of other clear etiologic factors for acute pancreatitis, disappearance of symptoms after discontinuation of IFN-alpha, and positive reactions to rechallenge, IFN-alpha is the most probable cause for development of acute pancreatitis in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. eland@inw2.azr.nl
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Eland
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rasch
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sturkenboom
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Bekkering
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delwaide
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belaiche
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Houbiers
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Stricker
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases