title: Organizing Pneumonia Associated with Pegylated Interferon α and Ribavirin Therapy.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus infection is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the United States of America. Pegylated interferon α and ribavirin combination is the mainstay of treatment. Severe pulmonary toxicities are rarely reported. We report here a case of severe form of organizing pneumonia secondary to pegylated interferon α therapy presenting as acute respiratory failure. Patient has near complete recovery with withdrawal of pegylated interferon α and steroid therapy. We report this case to raise the awareness of this rare but potentially life-threatening pulmonary complication of pegylated interferon α therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Creticus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marak
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Narendrakumar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alappan
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shim