Abstract:

Objectives: Hepatitis C and interferon may trigger autoimmunity. We aimed to investigate the effects of combination treatment of peginterferon alpha (peg-IFN) + ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) on thyroid function tests and thyroid auto antibodies. Materials and Methods: The study included 45 outpatients with proven CHC having normal thyroid functions and previously not treated. The patients received combination of Peg-IFN+ribavirin. Values of fT3, fT4, TSH, antitiroglobulin (Anti-Tg) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (Anti-TPO) were measured at initial, fi rst, third and sixth months of treatment. Frequency of thyroid dysfunction was evaluated according to age and gender of patients. Results: Thyroid dysfunction emerged in 15 (%33.3) of 45 patients at the end of the six month of antiviral treatment. Symptomatic thyroid disease was confi rmed in 2 patients.Subclinical hyperthyroidism was determined in four patients (%8.9), and subclinical hypothyroidism in 3 patients (%6.7) at the end of third month.At the end of sixth month; symptomatic hyperthyroidism was observed in one patient (%2.2), subclinical hyperthyroidism in six (%13.3) and subclinical hypothyroidism in 7 patients (%15.6), and symptomatic hypothyroidism was determined in one patient (%2.2).At the end of the sixth month of antiviral treatment; Anti-Tg antibodies were positive in 12 patients (%26.7) and antiTPO in 11 patients (4 male and 7 female) (%24.5). No sig- nifi cant relationship was found between thyroid dysfunction and age, gender and ALT levels of patients (p>0.05). Conclusion: Periodic follow-up examinations should be done for thyroid autoimmunity and thyroid functions in CHC patients receiving combination treatment of PegINF+ribavirin.

Keywords: