Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease occurring during interferon alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis C.
Retinal abnormalities, including retinal hemorrhage and "cotton-wool" spots, often occur within the first 8 weeks in the course of interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Here, we describe a case of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease occurring 4 months after the start of interferon alpha treatment, probably induced by the immunomodulatory effects of interferon. Therefore, we conclude that chronic hepatitis C patients, especially people with darkly pigmented skin, need to be closely monitored for ophthalmologic complications, by periodic check-up of the optic fundi, for a prolonged period, during interferon treatment.
Kasahara
Akinori
A
Department of General Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-15 Yamada-Oka, 565-0871, Suita, Japan.
Hiraide
Atsushi
A
Tomita
Naruya
N
Iwahashi
Hiromi
H
Imagawa
Akihisa
A
Ohguro
Nobuyuki
N
Yamamoto
Shuji
S
Mita
Eiji
E
Hayashi
Norio
N
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D013997:Time Factors; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins