A case of chronic active hepatitis type C associated with hyperthyroidism following a long-term interferon therapy

We report a case of chronic active hepatitis type C associated with hyperthyroidism following a long-term interferon therapy. A 49-year-old man, who had received 1, 440ml of blood transfusion for massive bleeding from the gastric ulcer, was diagnosed as posttransfusion hepatitis 40 days later. While antibodies to thyroid microsomal antigen was positive, he was euthyroid state at the onset of hepatitis. A total of 474MU of recombinant IFNα was injected subcutaneously for 12 months. Nine months after the end of the therapy, finger tremor and body weight loss appeared. Laboratory data revealed overt hyperthyroidism. Thyroid stimulating antibodies, TSH receptor antibodies and antinuclear antibodies appeared following interferon therapy, as well as antibodies to thyroid microsomal antigen and islet cell surface antigen, which had been positive since the begining of the therapy. Recently, various autoimmune responses have been shown to appear in the course of long- term interferon therapy, which will be of great clinical significance in the management of chronic type B and C hepatitis.