title: Guillain-Barré syndrome during treatment with interferon alpha for hepatitis B.
abstract: We describe a patient who developed acute demyelinating polyneuropathy on the sixth week of interferon (IFN)alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection. A 23-year-old man with chronic HBV infection had acute onset of demyelinating polyneuropathy shortly after completing a standard 6-week course of therapy with IFNalpha 2a. Clinical findings, electrodiagnostic studies and elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein levels without cells supported the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Other potential causes of GBS were ruled out. It remains unknown whether IFNalpha or the HBV infection itself was the cause of GBS, but it is evident that IFNalpha could not have prevented the development of GBS in our patient. We suggest that coexistent HBV infection and IFNalpha therapy may play a role in triggering an autoimmune response to peripheral nerve myelin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty of Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey. cboz@meds.ktu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Cavit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozmenoglu
authors.forename: Gonulden
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aktoz
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Velioglu
authors.forename: Zekeriya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alioglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha