title: Interstitial pneumonitis in a patient with chronic hepatitis C and chronic renal failure on interferon therapy.
abstract: After 4-months of alpha interferon (IFN-α), a 64-year old woman with chronic hepatitis C developed a cough and dyspnea and showed diffuse infiltrative opacities on her chest X-ray. Her symptoms persisted after stopping the IFN-α therapy. Pulmonary function testing revealed a reduced forced vital capacity. High-resolution computed tomography of the lung showed peripheral and peribronchovascular ground glass attenuation and consolidation associated with reticulation. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed for further evaluation and showed a lymphocyte level of 8.2%, an uncommon finding in IFN-α-induced interstitial pneumonitis. We performed a lung biopsy to diagnose her disease and it suggested interstitial pneumonitis. This was considered to be due to the immunomodulatory effects of INF-α. Although rare, any sign of significant pulmonary involvement should be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Digestive Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Dong Kyun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong Ran
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Hyun Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Soung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Jae Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Joon Seong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soo Taek
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Uh
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha