Therapy with interferon-alpha plus ribavirin for membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis induced by hepatitis C virus

• Autor(a) principal: Lopes, Edmundo P.a. [UNIFESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2003
• Outros Autores: Valente, Lucila M. [UNIFESP], Silva, Antonio Eduardo Benedito [UNIFESP], Mastroianni Kirsztajn, Gianna [UNIFESP], Cruz, Cibele N. [UNIFESP], Ferraz, Maria Lucia Cardoso Gomes [UNIFESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNIFESP
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.unifesp.br/handle/11600/1868; http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-86702003000500011
• topic: Glomerulonephritis; hepatitis C; interferon; ribavirin

We describe a treatment made with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) plus ribavirin of two patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV): Case 1 was a 22-year-old woman with leg and facial edema, hypertension and proteinuria, whose liver biopsy revealed chronic active hepatitis; and Case 2 was a 42-year-old man with anasarca, hypertension and proteinuria, whose liver biopsy indicated cirrhosis. Both had anti-HCV, HCV-RNA and cryoglobulins. IFN-alpha (3 million units (MU), 3 times/week) and ribavirin (1 g/day) were administered for 12 months. The drugs were well tolerated by both patients. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels normalized and HCV-RNA became negative. Cryoglobulins disappeared and an improvement in renal disease was seen after 6 months of therapy. However, after 9 months, Case 2 presented ALT elevation, and proteinuria was detected. Two years after the end of therapy, both patients were negative in repeated HCV-RNA and cryoglobulin tests. Case 1 was asymptomatic, with normal liver and renal tests, and Case 2 had normal blood pressure, with mild edema of the ankles. Based on the evolution of these two cases, the association of IFN-alpha and ribavirin may be a therapeutic option for patients with MPGN related to HCV.