title: Long-term response to peginterferon in hepatitis C virus-associated nephrotic syndrome from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global public health problem. Chronic HCV infection is an important cause of chronic liver disease. Since the first reported association between HCV and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) in 1993, HCV has been described with other types of glomerular diseases, although less frequently. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is one such glomerular disease that has been rarely reported in association with HCV. Antiviral therapy with interferon and ribavirin has been shown to be beneficial in HCV-associated MPGN. The optimal therapy of HCV-associated FSGS is not currently known. To our knowledge, long-term response to pegylated interferon monotherapy in treatment of HCV-associated FSGS has not been reported. We report an adult patient with HCV-associated FSGS who presented with nephrotic syndrome and renal failure. Treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2a monotherapy resulted in sustained virological response with a clinical remission of nephrotic syndrome and stabilization of renal function. Patient continued to remain in clinical remission of nephrotic syndrome with stable renal function, 5 years after treatment. We also briefly review the literature on HCV-associated glomerular diseases, particularly HCV-associated FSGS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Kidney Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA. hshah2@nshs.edu
authors.forename: Hitesh H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Chinmay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a