A case of deep venous thrombosis associated with pegylated interferon alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

We present a case of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during pegylated interferon (peg-IFN)-alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). A 67-year-old man, who had been under treatment for hypertension and diabetes mellitus, was admitted to our hospital for peg-IFN-alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment for CHC. His serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA level became undetectable 1 week after the initiation of peg-IFN-alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment. He suffered from severe pain, flare, and edema in both of his lower legs 6 weeks after the initiation of peg-IFN-alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment. He was diagnosed as having DVT because of the presence of a thrombus in the right soleus vein by ultrasonography. Peg-IFN-alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment was discontinued because a causal relationship between DVT and peg-IFN-alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment was suspected. DVT was not observed and the symptoms in both of his legs were improved after the administration of warfarin potassium. Subsequently, DVT has not recurred, and he has remained HCV-RNA negative.