title: Late onset autoimmune thrombocytopenia associated with pegylated interferon-alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: Interferon-induced, immune-mediated, thrombocytopenia is a rare event. In this report the case is described of development of severe, reversible, autoimmune thrombocytopenia in a patient with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, 6 months after the discontinuation of pegylated interferon-alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment. Physicians must be aware that autoimmune thrombocytopenia can occur even after the end of treatment, as a late onset complication, especially when using the pegylated forms of interferons, which have longer half-lives and prolonged activity.
authors.affiliation: State Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece. ielefs@acn.gr
authors.forename: Ioannis S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Elefsiniotis
authors.forename: Konstantinos D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Pantazis
authors.forename: Nikolaos V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Fotos
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moulakakis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mavrogiannis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b