title: Thyroid Dysfunction in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Treated with the Combined Pegylated Interferon-Ribavirin Therapy.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an Egyptian serious national health problem. The combination of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) with ribavirin (RIB) was considered the established therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and it was associated with several adverse effects, including thyroid dysfunction (TD). The aim of this work was to study TD in CHC patients receiving PEG-IFN+ RIB therapy. This retrospective study included 100 adult patients attending the outpatient clinics at AL-Kahera Al-Fatemya hospital and were eligible candidates for PEG-IFN+ RIB therapy. Thyroid hormonal profile (thyroid-stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, and free thyroxine) was done before initiation of treatment (week 0) and at weeks 12, 24, 48, and 72. The incidence of TD was more evident by the end of treatment (week 48); it was found to be 35%, mostly in the form of hypothyroidism, while the least incidence was detected by week 12 (2%), all in the form of hyperthyroidism. Generally, hypothyroidism was higher than hyperthyroidism in multiple folds. Thyroid profile was not significantly related to viral load.
authors.affiliation: 1 Infectious Diseases and Endemic Hepatogastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University , Cairo, Egypt .
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hamza
authors.affiliation: 2 Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University , Cairo, Egypt .
authors.forename: Yara
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eid
authors.affiliation: 1 Infectious Diseases and Endemic Hepatogastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University , Cairo, Egypt .
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.affiliation: 1 Infectious Diseases and Endemic Hepatogastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University , Cairo, Egypt .
authors.forename: Raghda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marzaban
authors.affiliation: 3 Hepatogastroenterology Department, Boulak Al-Dakrour Hospital , Cairo, Egypt .
authors.forename: Shaimaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdul-Kareem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin