title: Successful natural interferon-β plus ribavirin therapy in a chronic hepatitis C patient after discontinuation of interferon-α treatment due to arrhythmia and interstitial pneumonia.
abstract: A 71-year-old female patient with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 had previously discontinued interferon (IFN)-α plus ribavirin therapy, pegylated IFN-α (pegIFN-α) monotherapy, and natural IFN-α monotherapy because of arrhythmia, interstitial pneumonia, and severe neurovegetative symptoms. She subsequently completed 72 weeks of natural IFN-β plus ribavirin therapy without remarkable adverse effects and achieved a sustained viral response, suggesting differences in the pharmacological properties and biological effects of IFN-α and IFN-β. Thus, natural IFN-β plus ribavirin therapy may be a treatment option for patients with poor tolerance to IFN-α or pegIFN-α treatments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumano
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Mikihito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine Yokohama City Seibu Hospital, 1197-1 Yasashicho, Asahi-ku, Yokohama, 241-0811 Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumon
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000139:chemically induced; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin; D016899:Interferon-beta
keywords: Adverse effect; Arrhythmia; Hepatitis C; Interferon-β; Interstitial pneumonia