Floristán U, Feltes R, Ramírez-Marín P, Herranz-Pinto P. [Interferon-alpha and hepatitis C virus: the skin matters].
Rev Clin Esp 2011;
211:92-7. [PMID:
21376938 DOI:
10.1016/j.rce.2010.05.026]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2010] [Accepted: 05/31/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is classically associated with such dermatologic conditions as mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC), porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) and lichen planus. This review focuses on the response of these entities to interferon alpha (IFN) therapy, which has an immunomodulatory activity and may modify their course. The presence of certain HCV-associated dermatologic disorders, as PCT, may predict the patients virological response to IFN therapy. On the other hand, the course of some dermatologic disorders, as MC, during treatment with IFN, may be an early indicator of virologic response. In any case, physicians should know how to handle the most common dermatologic side effects of IFN, which may affect the quality of life of patients, complicating the adherence to treatment.
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