title: [Complication of pernicious anemia during interferon-β treatment for type C chronic hepatitis].
abstract: A 62-year-old man with chronic hepatitis C underwent interferon (IFN)-β therapy. After treatment for a period comprising 29 months and 2 weeks, hematological results showed a decrease in white blood cell, hemoglobin, and platelet counts (WBC 2,300/µl, Hb 7.2 g/dl, PLT 4.7×10(4)/µl), and IFN therapy was stopped. Despite therapy discontinuation, the pancytopenia continued to progress with elevation of LDH (LDH 4,898 IU/l), and the patient was admitted to our hospital with suspected hematological disease. The patient underwent clinical screening, and pernicious anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency was diagnosed. The anemia rapidly improved with vitamin B12 treatment. Interferon is the mainstay of treatment for patients with viral hepatitis. While the adverse effects of interferon therapy are widely recognized, only a few reports have documented pernicious anemia developing during IFN-therapy. We recommend that particular attention be paid to such clinical and laboratory conditions as megaloblastic anemia when administering IFN. We also recommend checking the vitamin B12 level, as a deficiency of this vitamin may lead to the development of megaloblastic anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Fuchu-Hospital.
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ichihara
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumura
authors.forename: Tadanobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamane
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hino
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mugitani
mesh_terms: D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D016899:Interferon-beta; D014805:Vitamin B 12