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Long‐term administration of cyclosporin A to HCV‐antibody‐positive patients with dermatologic diseases
Author(s) -
Miura Hiroyuki,
Itoh Yuka,
Matsumoto Yoshiko,
Tani Mamori,
Tanabe Noboru,
Isonokami Masaaki,
Kurachi Kishirou,
Kozuka Takahito
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-4362.1999.00690.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis c virus , antibody , hepatitis c , rna , immunology , alanine aminotransferase , hepacivirus , alanine transaminase , hepatitis , gastroenterology , virus , biochemistry , chemistry , gene
Background Cyclosporine A (CYA) is an immunosuppressive agent which is being used in the treatment of an increasingly wide range of dermatologic diseases, but its use has been avoided in carriers of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods We administered small doses of CYA (maximum, 3 mg/kg/day) for a long time to treat dermatologic diseases in one HCV‐antibody‐positive patient with no HCV‐RNA in the blood, one patient with a small amount of HCV‐RNA in the blood, and two patients with large amounts of HCV‐RNA in the blood. Results Skin lesions improved in all patients, but recurred upon complete or partial withdrawal of CYA. In the absence of HCV‐RNA in the blood, or when only a small quantity of HCV‐RNA was present in the blood, HCV‐RNA load showed no apparent change. In one patient with a large blood HCV‐RNA load, CYA dosage reduction was followed by increases in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and decreases in blood HCV‐RNA. Aggravation of hepatitis due to immunologic reactivation was suspected in this patient. Conclusions The reduction of CYA dosage is a key element in the use of this agent for cutaneous diseases.