Korean J Hepatol.  2011 Mar;17(1):61-65. 10.3350/kjhep.2011.17.1.61.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease occurring during pegylated interferon-alpha2b and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C

• Lim JH
• Lee YN
• Kim YS
• Kim SG
• Jeong SW
• Jang JY
• Kim HS
• Lee SH
• Park TK

• KMID: 1105515
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3350/kjhep.2011.17.1.61

Abstract

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is a multisystem syndrome characterized by ocular (uveitis and retinal detachment), neurological (headache, tinnitus, and meningitis), and integumentary (vitiligo, alopecia, and poliosis) involvement. Although the pathogenesis of VKH disease is not well understood, an autoimmune T-cell response to a melanocyte-associated antigen is considered to be a cause of VKH disease. The complex immunological response to interferon and ribavirin may induce or exacerbate the autoimmune condition; however, VKH disease is a very rare complication associated with interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C. We report a case of VKH disease occurring during pegylated interferon-alpha2b and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Keyword

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease; Interferon-alpha2b; Chronic hepatitis C

MeSH Terms

Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use
Antiviral Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Drug Therapy, Combination
Female
Fluorescein Angiography
Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy
Humans
Interferon Alfa-2b/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Middle Aged
Polyethylene Glycols/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Prednisolone/therapeutic use
Ribavirin/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome/*diagnosis/drug therapy/etiology