Abducent nerve paralysis during interferon alpha-2a therapy in a case of chronic active hepatitis C.

Abstract

A 59-year-old woman with chronic active hepatitis C was treated with recombinant human interferon alpha-2a. After three days of administration, the patient complained of diplopia with dizziness and head heaviness. Ophthalmic examinations revealed a disturbance of the movement of left eye ball to the outer side without any other neurological signs. The diplopia, which was diagnosed as abducent nerve paralysis, improved rapidly and reversed at about 6 weeks after discontinuation of interferon and during infusion of hydrocortisone. To our knowledge, this is the first report of abducent nerve paralysis associated with alpha-2a interferon.

• Authors: Y Fukumoto, T Shigemitsu, N Kajii, R Omura, T Harada, K Okita
• Journal: Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) (Intern Med) Vol. 33 Issue 10 Pg. 637-40 (Oct 1994) ISSN: 0918-2918 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 7827383 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Recombinant Proteins

Topics

• Abducens Nerve
• Cranial Nerve Diseases (etiology)
• Diplopia (etiology)
• Female
• Hepatitis C (therapy)
• Hepatitis, Chronic (therapy, virology)
• Humans
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Recombinant Proteins