Abstract
A 57-year-old Japanese woman developed skin eruption, pleuritis, pancytopenia, parotid gland swelling and glomerulonephritis after 7-month treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. Disease-specific autoantibodies such as anti-SSA, anti-SSB, anti-Sm and anti-dsDNA antibodies became positive. The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome was made and treatment with glucocorticoid pulse followed by oral glucocorticoid was started. It is highly probable that interferon-alpha-induced systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome in this case. Interferon-alpha might be important pathogenically in these diseases.
MeSH terms
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Antibodies, Antinuclear / immunology
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Antiviral Agents / adverse effects*
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Antiviral Agents / immunology
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Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
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Female
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Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
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Hepatitis C / drug therapy*
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Humans
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Interferon-alpha / adverse effects*
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Interferon-alpha / immunology
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Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
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Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / drug therapy
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Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / etiology*
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Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology
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Middle Aged
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Ribavirin / therapeutic use
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Sjogren's Syndrome / drug therapy
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Sjogren's Syndrome / etiology*
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Sjogren's Syndrome / immunology
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Antibodies, Antinuclear
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Antiviral Agents
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Glucocorticoids
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Interferon-alpha
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Ribavirin