Interferon‐induced vitiligo in hepatitis C patients: a case series

Abstract

Interferon unmasks vitiligo in susceptible individuals.

Switch On/Off of Hepatitis C and Major Chronic Skin Diseases in Egyptian Patients: Study of Prevalence, the Impact of, Gender, Viral Load and the Severity of Liver Disease

“…A similar case report of vitilligo induced but all skin lesions resolved spontaneously [54]. This impressed us that vitiligo may be interferon induced through induction of anti-melanocyte auto-antibodies or activation of cytotoxic T cells.…”

Determination of Whether Vitiligo is a Contraindication to Interferon Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis C

“…Vitiligo at injection site of PEG-α2a-IFN was reported in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection (21). However, despite the worldwide use of interferon therapy for HCV and HBV infection, the occurrence of vitiligo is very rarely reported in the literature, although we have seen a few cases during our practice (19). Finally, it is important to emphasize that the existence of vitiligo is not a contraindication for interferon therapy.…”

“…The first case of vitiligo in patients with chronic hepatitis B was reported by Alavian et al (18) in 2002; in their report, the lesions appeared after initiation of therapy with INF-α and disappeared after the therapy was stopped. The onset and course of ∝-INF therapy-associated vitiligo is variable and the existence of other autoimmune disorders such as hashimato's thyroiditis can predispose the patient to this side effect (19). It is interesting to mention that there is a report of vitiligo lesions disappearance after initiation of INF-α and ribavirin therapy due to immune modulation effects (20).…”

Association study between nonsense polymorphism (rs2039381, Gln71Stop) of Interferon-ε and susceptibility to vitiligo in Korean population

“…IFN molecules are used in immune-modulating therapies, and a side effect of IFN therapy is vitiligo. In several cases vitiligo occurred in the periods of IFN-a therapy for hepatitis C infection and the lesions were repigmented after discontinuation (Hamadah et al, 2010;Nouri et al, 1997;Seckin et al, 2004). It is unclear exactly by which mechanism these therapies induced vitiligo; however, it may be supposed that IFNs induced the immune response with antimelanocyte autoantibodies or activation of cytotoxic T cells on melanocytes.…”