Thyroid dysfunction is a known complication of nonpegylated
interferon treatment for hepatitis The aims of this study was to determine
the incidence of thyroid dysfunction in HCV-infected patients receiving
pegylated interferon and rihavirin combination therapy
We reterospectively studied 500 HCV-infected patients with
baseline levels of thyrotropin (TSH) within the reference range who were
treated with subcutaneous pegylated interferon alfa-2b once per week and
oral rihavirin (1000-1200 mg/d) for 48 weeks.at Kafer Elsheikh liver
center according to National project for treatment of virus C Patients
underwent screening of TSH levels every 12 weeks during HCV therapy
Patients with abnormal TSH levels underwent a comprehensive thyroid
evaluation.
Among the 500 patients, overt thyroid disease developed in22
patients 4.4% (95% confidence interval, 3.8%- 6.8% )18 female,4male,
and subclinical thyroid disease was diagnosed in20 patients 4.0% (95%
confidence interval, 1.8%-7.4%).so the overall incidence developed in 42
patients 8.4%27 female and 15 males. In the 15 patients with overt
hypothyroidism(12 female and 3 male, antithyroglohulin antibodies were
present in 11 and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies were present in 10,
whereas thyroid- stimulating inununoglobulins were present in 2 of the 7
individuals with overt hyperthyroidism. Most of the patients with thyroid
dysfunction completed HCV therapy
Patients with HCV infection treated with pegylated interferon and
ribavirin hay no increased incidence in comparison with the previous
results documented with non-pegylated interferon with ribaverin.the
female gender and age of patients were the two risk factors for
development of thyroid dysfunction during interferon therapy, patients on
treatment with interferon and ribaverin should undergo routine screening
for thyroid disease. Treatment of HCV can be safely continued in these
patients because thyroid disease responds well to treatment and thyroid
dysfunction were subclinical in most individuals |
