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Mono‐arthritis in a chronic hepatitis B patient after α‐interferon treatment
Author(s) -
CHAN G. C. B.,
LEE S. S.,
YEOH E. K.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.1992.tb01013.x
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , interferon , chronic hepatitis , hepatitis , arthritis , gastroenterology , immunology , surgery , virus
A 28 year old woman with hepatitis B (HB) related chronic active hepatitis was treated with a 12 week course of α‐interferon (α‐IFN). She developed acute mono‐arthritis 1 week after completion of treatment. Her rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive before α‐IFN and fell steadily during therapy. This was followed by a rebound of RF level with the associated arthritis occurring 1 week after completion of the course of α‐IFN. In absence of any medication RF gradually fell and became negative at the end of 1 year. This observation is thought to be related to the immunomodulatory effect of α‐IFN either directly on RF production or indirectly through the control of hepatitis.