Bone marrow toxicity in HCV genotype 5a-infected patient after peg-IFN alpha-2a and ribavirin therapy

J Chemother. 2008 Oct;20(5):648-51. doi: 10.1179/joc.2008.20.5.648.

Abstract

The optimal therapy for HCV-related chronic hepatitis is the combination of pegylated interferon alpha (peg-IFN alpha) plus ribavirin (RBV). Unfortunately, both peg-IFN alpha and RBV are responsible for a wide range of adverse events and potentially severe toxicities, particularly hematological alterations. Indeed, RBV is generally responsible for anemia through hemolysis, while peg-IFN alpha induces more commonly leukopoenia and thrombocytopenia, presumably through bone marrow toxicity. Actually, data regarding histopathological bone marrow alterations in HCV-infected patients following IFN-alpha therapy is scanty. We report a case of a HCV-infected cirrhotic patient, who developed bone marrow alterations following one-year peg-IFN alpha plus RBV treatment, and we describe the associated histopathological features. Our case report provides new significant insight on the histopathological changes occurring in bone marrow of HCV-infected cirrhotic patients during peg-IFN alpha-2a plus RBV treatment, providing also additional information on potential bone marrow toxicity in the course of IFN-based treatments.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / adverse effects*
  • Bone Marrow / drug effects
  • Bone Marrow Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Fibrosis / virology
  • Hepacivirus
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / adverse effects*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pancytopenia / chemically induced
  • Polyethylene Glycols / adverse effects*
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Ribavirin / adverse effects*

Substances

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