title: Bell's palsy associated with chronic HCV infection before and during peginterferon alfa and ribavirin therapy.
abstract: Neuropsychiatric side effects of peg interferon-α (PEG-IFN-α) therapy consist of a large spectrum of symptoms. Organic personality syndrome, organic affective syndrome, psychotic manifestations and seizures are more common side effects of PEG-IFN-α whereas cranial neuropathy and movement disorders are less common. Bell's palsy is often idiopathic, but has been linked to some viral infections, particularly with herpes viruses. Other infections, such as human immunodeficiency virus infection and Lyme disease, may also lead to idiopathic facial paralysis. Neither acute nor chronic Hepatitis C infection has been implicated previously in Bell's palsy, but PEG-IFN-α may play a role. Two patients with CHC who developed Bell's palsy before and during treatment with PEG-IFN-α and Ribavirin are presented here.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jabbari
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fakharzadeh
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merat
authors.forename: Hedyeh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zamini
authors.forename: Amir Houshang
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sharifi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b