Abstract
A 60-year-old woman developed type 1 diabetes mellitus and anti-aquaporin-4 antibody positive optic neuritis during type 1 interferon therapies for chronic hepatitis C. The diabetes mellitus was elicited by interferon-α plus ribavirin therapy, while the optic neuritis was induced after interferon-β treatment, followed by interferon-α and ribavirin therapy. It is possible that type 1 interferons lead to the onset of the two autoimmune diseases by inducing disease-specific autoantibodies. Autoimmune disease is an infrequent complication of type 1 interferon treatment; however, once it has occurred, it may result in severe impairments. Patients undergoing type 1 interferon therapy should therefore be carefully monitored for any manifestations of autoimmune diseases.
MeSH terms
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Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / blood*
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Antiviral Agents / adverse effects
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Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
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Aquaporin 4 / immunology*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / chemically induced*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / diagnosis
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Drug Synergism
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Drug Therapy, Combination
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Female
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Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
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Humans
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Interferon Type I / adverse effects*
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Interferon Type I / therapeutic use*
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Interferon-alpha / adverse effects
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Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use
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Interferon-beta / adverse effects
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Interferon-beta / therapeutic use
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Middle Aged
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Optic Neuritis / chemically induced*
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Optic Neuritis / diagnosis
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Optic Neuritis / immunology*
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Ribavirin / therapeutic use
Substances
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Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
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Antiviral Agents
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Aquaporin 4
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Interferon Type I
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Interferon-alpha
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Ribavirin
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Interferon-beta