title: Tongue and skin hyperpigmentation during PEG-interferon-alpha/ribavirin therapy in dark-skinned non-Caucasian patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: Various skin disorders may occur during antiviral therapy with interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) for chronic hepatitis C. This article describes to our knowledge the first report of lingual hyperpigmentation during pegylated (PEG)-IFN/RBV combination therapy in five dark-skinned hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. Lingual pigmentation during antiviral therapy was not associated with age, gender, HCV genotype, doses of RBV, or duration of the treatment or treatment outcome. Since IFN increases the expression of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) surface receptors, the use of PEG-IFN having a longer plasma half-life may even increase incidence for such cutaneous side effects particularly in dark-skinned HCV patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine IV, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Calin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gurguta
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kauer
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bergholz
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Formann
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steindl-Munda
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferenci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D014059:Tongue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a