title: Raynaud's phenomenon and bilateral olecranon bursitis co-existing in a patient with chronic hepatitis B and D treated with pegylated interferon.
abstract: Pegylated interferon remains the first line treatment for patients with hepatitis D virus and more than one year therapy may be necessary. Interferon a has the most extensive clinical application and is used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and D virus as well as HCV infections. The attachment of polyethylene glycol to interferon increases its half-life. Treatment with peg interferon is associated with many troublesome and occasionally with serious or even life-threatening side effects. In this case report, we have described a patient with chronic hepatitis B and D, who developed Raynaud's phenomenon, ischaemic digital necrosis and bilateral olecranon bursitis during Pegylated interferon therapy. The patient underwent a very extensive workup in order to determine the underlying cause of his digital ischaemia and olecranon bursitis, which was finally determined to be secondary to the use of Pegylated interferon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shafique Rehman
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Arain
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tahira Perveen
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Umer
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002062:Bursitis / Q000150:complications*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056740:Olecranon Process; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000150:complications*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin
keywords: Pegylated Interferon; digital ischaemia; necrosis: Raynaud's phenomenon; bursitis.