title: Thyroid function outcomes after pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the frequency of new thyroid disease, in patients who did not develop thyroid disease during treatment with interferon-α in combination with ribavirin for hepatitis C, during the 6-month period after the end of therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was performed in 190 patients who underwent a combination of interferon-α and ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C infection during the 36-month period between 2006 and 2008. Thyroid function tests were performed at the completion of treatment and at 4, 12, and 24 weeks of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 6 months after the completion of interferon-α and ribavirin therapy in the 190 study patients with hepatitis C infection, there were 2 cases of thyroid disease. One patient had the typical biphasic thyroiditis, and the other had primary hypothyroidism. Thus, the prevalence of thyroid disease in this setting was 2 of 190 patients (1.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority (99%) of patients had normal thyroid outcomes at 6-month follow-up. Only 1 patient had symptoms. This finding is reassuring and eliminates the need for ongoing thyroid surveillance during this time and probably longer. In the absence of symptoms, only a single thyroid-stimulating hormone measurement at 6-month review is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Chemistry, Hunter Area Pathology Service, Newcastle, New South Wales 2310, Australia. huy.tran@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Huy A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Glenn E M
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ianna
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leembruggen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D012254:Ribavirin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine