Neurologic, vasculitic complications of interferon alfa (and PEG IFN) treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection: case reports and review of literature

Introduction: Alfa interferon and pegilated IFN alfa have been shown to be effective in patients with chronic hepatitis C. IFN treatment may be associated with neurologic complications, including peripheral neuropathy, vasculitic complications. Case reports: We describe the cases of two patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. First patient has been treated in 2002 with standard IFN (interferon alfa 2b 3×5 ME/week) and ribavirin (1000mg/day). Four weeks after the initiation of treatment he had buzzing in his ears, later hearing deterioration was documented. We stopped the ribavirin treatment, but interferon…