Treatment of hepatitis C virus-associated inflammatory polyneuropathy with pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Jan;19(1):91-2. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e32801106d1.

Abstract

Peripheral neuropathy is common in patients with hepatitis C virus infection and cryoglobulinemia. Here, we report a patient with axonal polyneuropathy associated with type III mixed cryoglobulinemia and hepatitis C virus infection without significant liver disease, who was successfully treated with pegylated interferon-alpha-2a and ribavirin. This case illustrated that clinical improvement was paralleled by a decrease of cryocrit but not necessarily by a decrease of viral replication rate. Treatment of hepatitis C virus-cryoglobulinemia-associated neuropathy should therefore be continued even if response of viral replication is lacking or delayed as long as a clinical benefit can be observed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / complications
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / drug therapy
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / virology*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use*
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Ribavirin
  • peginterferon alfa-2a