title: Side effects of the therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C: a small audit.
abstract: This study sought to decribe, quantify, and classify any adverse reactions occurring in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon and ribavirin, as well as verify the occurrence of potential medication interactions. The most prevalent reactions were fatigue (84.8%), fever (83%), weight loss (80%), irritability (74%), and body pain (72%). Most of the reactions were classified as mild (95%), whereas 4.5% were classified as moderate and 0.4% as severe. Adverse reactions led to the rearrangement of therapy for 9 patients (20%), where there was a reduction in dose for 7 (15%), temporary interruption of treatment for 5 (11%), and permanent discontinuation for 3 patients (7%). A total of 11 potential medication interactions were identified in 9 patients (20%), with the most frequent between peginterferon-α2a and captopril (45%). Given the above, it is observed that the treatment of chronic hepatitis C is marked by several adverse reactions of varying severity, which can interfere with the patient's quality of life or in treatment compliance, and that can be aggravated by potential drug-drug interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Barreto Cruz
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Laís Cristina Santana
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Sena
authors.forename: Jullyana de Souza Siqueira
authors.initials: Jde S
authors.lastname: Quintans
authors.forename: Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Alex Vianey Callado
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: França
authors.forename: Lucindo José Quintans
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Júnior
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a