title: Cutaneous reactions in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon and ribavirin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peginterferon alfa and ribavirin could cause various cutaneous reactions. Treatment-related cutaneous reactions are common, and treatable complications can contribute to the treatment discontinuation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a 6-year prospective study of cutaneous reactions in 271 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon and ribavirin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cutaneous reactions of mild to moderate degree were seen in 36 (13.3%) patients: localized cutaneous reactions in 7 (2.6%) patients, generalized reactions - pruritus, skin xerosis and eczematous changes - in 28 (10.3%) patients, alopecia in 11 (4.1%) patients; exacerbation of lichen planus was seen in 1 patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed a relatively low prevalence of cutaneous reactions without the need for discontinuation of any of the drugs used. These reactions correlated only with the age of the patients and treatment duration. This finding is of particular importance with regard to the recently introduced direct-acting antivirals in the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection, which can cause a very severe form of cutaneous reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Zadar General Hospital, Zadar, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Patrk
authors.forename: Miro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morović
authors.forename: Anamarija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markulin
authors.forename: Jogen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patrk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000139:chemically induced; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects; D004485:Eczema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a