Relative hypoparathyroidism induced by interferon treatment in a hemodialysis patient.
Several authors have documented beneficial effects of interferon (IFN) in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among the dialysis population. Reports about mineral metabolism disturbances during IFN treatment are scarce, especially in dialysis patients. We report the case of a 49-year-old woman on hemodialysis with chronic HCV infection who developed significant decrease in serum calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels accompanied by relative hypoparathyroidism while being under treatment with alpha-IFN. These changes were closely related to IFN treatment, because they disappeared after INF was discontinued, reaching Ca and P levels which were similar to those of the pre-IFN period. Because IFN may induce immune disorders, several autoimmune markers were analyzed. All of them were negative or within the normal range. To further explore these mineral metabolism disturbances, a number ofparathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion-inhibiting factors, such as aluminum, magnesium, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and calcitriol were excluded as a cause for these changes. We suggest that mineral metabolism should be carefully observed during interferon treatment in dialysis patients.
Muray
S
S
Service of Nephrology, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, Spain.
Marco
M P
MP
Carrera
I
I
Cao
G
G
Craver
L
L
Fernández
E
E
D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007372:Interferons / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010758:Phosphorus; D007372:Interferons; D002118:Calcium