Management of rare side effects of peginterferon and ribavirin therapy during hepatitis C treatment: a case report.
Cardiac arrhythmias and syncope are rare consequence of therapy with pegylated interferon. We report a 55-year-old Egyptian woman who developed palpitation and syncopal attacks twice within 3 months after starting therapy with pegylated interferon alpha2b and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C virus-RNA was undetectable after 12 week. The electrocardiogram holter revealed ventricular extra-systoles on top of sinus tachycardia. pegylated interferon alpha2b therapy was continued but with a reduced dose. Close follow up revealed neither palpitation nor syncope and hepatitis C virus-RNA was undetectable at 24 and 48 weeks of treatment. In conclusion, our study suggests readjustment of the dose of pegylated interferon alpha2b therapy to avoid these serious side effects.
El-Atrebi
Kamal
K
1General Medicine and Hepatology Department, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Egypt. kamal245@hotmail.com
El-Bassyouni
Hala T
HT