title: Treatment of immune thrombocytopenia associated with interferon therapy of hepatitis C with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab.
abstract: This case report describes a patient with hepatitis C virus infection responding to pegylated INF/ribaviron therapy, who developed immune thrombocytopenia. The severe thrombocytopenia failed to resolve with cessation of the peg-IFN/ribaviron. Because of rising hepatitis C virus RNA levels and evidence of rising serum transaminases, the patient was treated with rituximab, anti-CD20 humanized monoclonal antibody. After treatment with rituximab, the patient's platelet count normalized and the patient was able to resume the pegylated IFN/ribaviron. The patient's hepatitis C virus RNA levels decreased, and the serum transaminases normalized without impairment of hepatic function or recurrence of the thrombocytopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Southern California-Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA. iweitz@usc.edu
authors.forename: Ilene C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Weitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D000069283:Rituximab; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000069283:Rituximab; D007372:Interferons