asialo-gm1-ganglioside and Hepatitis-C--Chronic

Polyethylene glycol-interferon alpha (PEG-IFNalpha) has been used as the standard treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. There have been no previous reports of polyradiculoneuropathy with anti-ganglioside antibodies induced by PEG-IFNalpha-2b. We report a 59-year-old man who developed polyradiculoneuropathy during treatment with PEG-IFN alpha-2b for chronic HCV infection. Serum levels of anti-asialo-GM1 (GA1) and anti-GM1 antibodies were elevated. Cessation of therapy with double filtration plasmapheresis resulted in marked improvement in his symptoms accompanied by a reduction in the antibody level. PEG-IFN alpha-2b may induce peripheral neuropathy mediated by anti-GA1 and anti-GM1 antibodies.

Topics: Antiviral Agents; Autoantibodies; Autoantigens; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System; Drug Carriers; Drug Therapy, Combination; G(M1) Ganglioside; Gait Disorders, Neurologic; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Humans; Interferon alpha-2; Interferon-alpha; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Weakness; Plasmapheresis; Polyethylene Glycols; Polyradiculoneuropathy; Recombinant Proteins; Ribavirin