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Late onset autoimmune thrombocytopenia associated with pegylated interferon‐α‐2b plus ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C
Author(s) -
Elefsiniotis Ioannis S,
Pantazis Konstantinos D,
Fotos Nikolaos V,
Moulakakis Antonios,
Mavrogiannis Christos
Publication year - 2006
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.1440-1746.2006.03418.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ribavirin , discontinuation , pegylated interferon , autoimmune hepatitis , alpha interferon , autoimmune thrombocytopenia , chronic hepatitis , immune thrombocytopenia , complication , immunology , hepatitis c virus , interferon , hepatitis c , gastroenterology , virus , hepatitis , antibody
Interferon‐induced, immune‐mediated, thrombocytopenia is a rare event. In this report the case is described of development of severe, reversible, autoimmune thrombocytopenia in a patient with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, 6 months after the discontinuation of pegylated interferon‐α‐2b plus ribavirin treatment. Physicians must be aware that autoimmune thrombocytopenia can occur even after the end of treatment, as a late onset complication, especially when using the pegylated forms of interferons, which have longer half‐lives and prolonged activity.