Thyroid dysfunction; during combined peg-interferon Alpha-2a and Ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis C is a burning issue. Prevalence of hepatitis C virus reported in Pakistan is 5% with areas of high infection in different cities and subsets of population. To find out the frequency of thyroid related dysfunctions in chronic hepatitis C patients on Peg- Interferon Alpha-2a and Ribavirin therapy. A prospective cohort study. Hepatitis Center DHQ teaching hospital Sahiwal from July 2013 to June 2014. We studied 100 patients of chronic HCV infection with baseline level of TSH,T3 and T4. Baseline serum ALT and serum AST were also measured. Patients were put on Peg-Interferon Alpha-2a [180 ug] weekly and Ribavirin [800 to 1000 mg/d] for 24weeks. All patients were followed up for thyroid dysfunction at weeks 0, 12, 18 and 24. Out of 100 treated patients 65 were female and 35 were male. Fifteen [15%] patients developed thyroid dysfunction and out of these 15 patients [11 female [73.3%] and 4 male [26.7%]]. Ten [66.6%] out of 15 patients developed hypothyroidism and 5[33.3%] out of 15 patients developed hyperthyroidism. Seven [70%] out of 10 patients who developed hypothyroidism needed levothyroxine therapy. Two [40%] out of 5 patients who developed hyperthyroidism needed carbimazol therapy for their symptoms and disease control. All patients completed hepatitis C treatment with combined Peg-Interferon Alpha-2a and Ribavirin therapy