title: Exacerbation of oral lichen planus lesions during treatment of chronic hepatitis C with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
abstract: It is estimated that 170-200 million people in the world are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus. This fact indicates that the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C virus infection are a priority in public health care. To date, the best treatment consists of the combination of pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin. IFN is costly and associated with low tolerance and severe side effects. Ribavirin is also problematic because it causes secondary anemia in most patients. It has been described that oral lichen planus (OLP) can appear or be exacerbated during the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The improvement of the lesions of OLP after the discontinuation of therapy suggests that IFN may induce or worsen these lesions in some patients. This study examines three cases of exacerbation of OLP during the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with pegylated IFN and ribavirin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Viral Hepatitis Ambulatory, Instituto Alfa de Gastroenterologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Soraya de Mattos Camargo
authors.initials: Sde M
authors.lastname: Grossmann
authors.forename: Rosângela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Maria Cássia Ferreira
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: de Aguiar
authors.forename: Maria Auxiliadora Vieira
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: do Carmo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a