title: Antiphospholipid syndrome during pegylated interferon alpha-2a therapy for chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: A great variety of autoimmune side effects have been reported during interferon alpha therapy. The presence of anticardiolipin antibodies during interferon alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis C has also been reported. There are no reports on the occurrence of antiphospholipid syndrome in patients with chronic hepatitis C while on pegylated interferon alpha therapy. We report a case of a 46-year-old man who developed antiphospholipid syndrome 12 weeks after starting pegylated interferon alpha plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. The clinical presentation of antiphospholipid syndrome was primary adrenal insufficiency secondary to bilateral adrenal haematoma and subclavian vein thrombosis. A pathogenic role of pegylated interferon alpha as a trigger factor for antiphospholipid syndrome development is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Institut Clínic de Malalties Digestives i Metabòliques, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. dcbalde@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Balderramo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colmenero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Forns
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ginès
mesh_terms: D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a