Long-term outcome of interferon-alpha-induced thyroid autoimmunity and prognostic influence of thyroid autoantibody pattern at the end of treatment

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
C CarellaG Amato

Abstract

Thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunction have been widely reported as side effects of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) treatment, but the literature lacks data regarding the long-term course of these complications, clinical observation being limited to 6-12 months off therapy. Our study is the first that has aimed to evaluate the natural history of IFN-related thyroid autoimmunity during a 6.2-yr follow-up after the IFN-alpha withdrawal as well as to investigate the potential role of the autoantibody pattern at the end of treatment to predict the long-term outcome. Our study group included 114 patients (79 males, 35 females), mean age 48 yr (range 23-67 yr) with no preexisting thyroid disease, undergoing a 12-month treatment with recombinant IFN-alpha for C virus-related chronic active hepatitis. Thyroid autoimmunity (serum TgAb and TPOAb) and function (serum FT(4), FT(3), TSH) were retrospectively evaluated at the end of IFN therapy, 6 months after IFN withdrawal and after a median period of 6.2 yr (range 5.5-8.4 yr). At the end of treatment, 78 patients were negative for thyroid autoantibodies (Abs-) and all but one of them remained so for the following evaluations. The remaining 36 patients had thyroid autoantibodies (Abs+) at the e...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 14, 2009·World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG·Moana Gelu-SimeonCatherine Buffet
Feb 8, 2011·Journal of Endocrinological Investigation·F MenconiY Tomer
May 3, 2005·Gastroentérologie Clinique Et Biologique·Xavier MoncoucyGérard Thiéfin
Dec 22, 2009·Journal of Autoimmunity·Yaron Tomer
Jun 9, 2015·World Journal of Hepatology·Janaína Luz Narciso-Schiavon, Leonardo de Lucca Schiavon

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