title: Pegylated interferon alpha-2a monotherapy in a peritoneal dialysis patient with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) is now the standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C, there are few reports targeting dialysis patients and treatment protocol for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has not been determined, particularly in patients on peritoneal dialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 34-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis C started peritoneal dialysis because of progressive renal disease 2 years after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for aplastic anaemia. The regimen was a single 6-h dwell of 2L glucose dialysate. Considering that her HCV genotype was 2a and that she was a candidate for cadaveric kidney transplant, we decided to treat her with PEG-IFN alpha-2a monotherapy 1 year after the beginning of peritoneal dialysis. We adopted a dose escalation strategy to minimize the total amount of PEG-IFN administration, thereby reducing the risk of adverse effects. Her HCV-RNA disappeared at the 17th week and sustained virus response was achieved thereafter. Only minor side effects were observed including flu-like symptoms and mild anaemia, and residual renal function remained stable during the treatment of 48 weeks (renal Kt/V; from 1.28 to 1.26).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEG-IFN monotherapy with dose modification may be a safe and effective treatment for HCV infection in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Endocrinology.
authors.forename: Imari
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Endocrinology.
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology , University of Tokyo School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tateishi
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine , Kyorin University , Tokyo , Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaname
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Endocrinology.
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
keywords: HCV; interferon; peritoneal dialysis; transplantation