Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
To report the cases of four patients with hepatitis C virus infection who experienced clinical features that are virtually identical to Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH).


METHODS
Retrospective observational case series.


METHODS
Medical records of patients who were referred between January and December 2003 were reviewed for diagnosis and management of VKH and who also had chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.


RESULTS
Four white patients had the clinical features of VKH. Three of the patients experienced intraocular inflammation while they were being treated for HCV infection with pegylated interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin. The intraocular inflammation responded to systemic corticosteroid treatment and to discontinuation of antiviral agents.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the number of patients who were studied is limited, there appears to be an association between HCV infection that was treated with pegylated interferon alpha 2b and the development of VKH-like disease. Further studies are required to confirm such an association.
Touitou
Valérie
V
Department of Ophthalmology, Pitié-Salpetrière Hospital, Paris, France.
Bodaghi
Bahram
B
Cassoux
Nathalie
N
Tran
Thi Ha Chau
TH
Rao
Narsing A
NA
Cacoub
Patrice
P
LeHoang
Phuc
P
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b