Korean J Hepatol.  2009 Sep;15(3):370-374. 10.3350/kjhep.2009.15.3.370.

A case of sudden-onset hearing loss in a patient treated with peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C

• Shin MK
• Kim TH
• Ju K
• Ha CY
• Min HJ
• Jung WT
• Lee OJ

• KMID: 1374966
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3350/kjhep.2009.15.3.370

Abstract

Combination therapy of pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin has been associated with various adverse effects, but sudden-onset hearing loss is uncommon. We report a 60-year-old male patient who developed sudden-onset hearing loss during combination therapy with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. This patient had been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C (genotype Ib) and early-stage liver cirrhosis 3 years previously, and had been treated with conventional interferon-alpha and ribavirin for 12 months. However, 6 months from the end of the treatment course the patient relapsed and received combination retreatment with pegylated interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin. He developed sudden-onset right-side hearing loss and tinnitus 42 weeks after the start of this retreatment. Pure-tone audiometry revealed a right-side hearing loss of 60~90dB. The patient consequently immediately discontinued the pegylated interferon therapy and was given prednisone 60 mg/day for 10 days, after which the hearing loss had almost completely recovered.

Keyword

Chronic hepatitis C; Peginterferon alfa-2b; Hearing loss, Sudden; Adverse effects

MeSH Terms

Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use
Antiviral Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Audiometry, Pure-Tone
Drug Therapy, Combination
Hearing Loss, Sudden/chemically induced/*diagnosis
Hepatitis C, Chronic/diagnosis/*drug therapy
Humans
Interferon Alfa-2b/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis
Male
Middle Aged
Polyethylene Glycols/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Prednisone/therapeutic use
Ribavirin/*adverse effects/therapeutic use