[Haemolytic uremic syndrome and acute mesenteric ischemia caused by interferon-alpha-2b in the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma in an AIDS patient].
BACKGROUND
Interferon alpha is approved for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma in HIV infected patients. Hemolytic and uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare side-effect of interferon alpha and has been reported primarily in chronic myelogenous leukemia.


METHODS
A 44-year-old HIV-infected woman from Cameroon was admitted for treatment of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma. Two days later, she presented severe HUS. Abdominal pains subsequently revealed non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia. The patient rapidly improved after interferon withdrawal.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge this is the first case of HUS induced by interferon alpha given for Kaposi's sarcoma. Further, no cases of acute mesenteric ischemia have been reported with interferon alpha. It is possible that the condition may have been induced or aggravated by HUS or a low infusion rate. Interferon can exert vascular toxicity on both the mesenteric vessels and the renal vessels in a setting of microangiopathy.
Zaraa
I
I
Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris et Université Denis-Diderot, Paris 7, France.
Maubec
E
E
Valeyrie-Allanore
L
L
Essig
M
M
Charachon
A
A
Chosidow
D
D
Debray
M-P
MP
Marinho
E
E
Picard-Dahan
C
C
Descamps
V
V
Crickx
B
B
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008643:Mesentery / Q000098:blood supply*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins