title: Retinopathy in chronic hepatitis C patients during interferon treatment with ribavirin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the ocular effect of interferon alfa 2b prescribed with ribavirin in patients undergoing therapy for chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  19 patients with chronic hepatitis C who satisfied the follow up criteria were assessed for ocular complications using slit lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy before, during, and after the treatment at regular intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  8/19 patients, while on treatment, developed an asymptomatic retinopathy. Among these 3/8 were relapsers and 5/9 were non-responders to interferon monotherapy. All retinal changes faded, often while the patients continued the therapy. There was no significant association in occurrence of retinopathy with haematological and/or biochemical changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retinopathy was more common in interferon monotherapy non-responders than relapsers when treated with interferon alfa 2b with the addition of ribavirin. The changes were transient, disappearing while the patients were still being treated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waheeb
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Thai
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heathcote
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin