Autoimmune thrombocytopenia induced by PEG-IFN-α plus ribavirin in hepatitis C

Abstract

Mild thrombocytopenia is a common adverse effect of interferon-α and pegylated interferon-α, largely ascribed to bone marrow suppression. Nevertheless, rare cases of autoimmune thrombocytopenia following standard or pegylated interferon treatment have been reported in the literature. In this report, we have presented a patient who developed an immune-mediated thrombocytopenia during the course of therapy with pegylated interferon/ribavirin for hepatitis C virus infection. After cessation of pegylated interferon/ribavirin treatment, thrombocytopenia was treated successfully with danazol and intravenous γ-globulin.

• Pegylated-interferon
• standard interferon
• autoimmune thrombocytopenia
• chronic hepatitis C