Sudden onset of diabetic ketoacidosis during consensus interferon therapy for chronic viral hepatitis C.
BACKGROUND
Interferon (IFN)-alpha, used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, has rarely been associated with the development of diabetes. Consensus interferon (CIFN), which is used for nonresponders, has not been associated with this complication. We describe the first case of new onset diabetes in a patient on CIFN.


METHODS
A 50-year-old man with chronic hepatitis C and no prior diabetes was started on IFN-alpha. After 24 weeks with a detectable viral load, he was switched to CIFN. Four weeks later, he presented in diabetic ketoacidosis which resolved with appropriate therapy without any ascertainable etiology (glutamic acid decarboxylase negative). Within 9 months he was off insulin, and is off all diabetic medications with an HgA1c of 5.6% 2 years after the episode.
Nylen
Eric S
ES
Department of Endocrinology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA. eric.nylen@med.va.Gov
Marathe
Ira C
IC
Khan
Irfan A
IA
Azevedo
Romeu
R
Hirsch
Kenneth R
KR
D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C050739:interferon alfacon-1