Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care
Volume 37, Issue 2 , Pages 153-156, March 2008

Adult respiratory distress syndrome after treatment with pegylated interferon α-2a and ribavirin

  • Edmond Vartany, MD

      Affiliations

    • Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, Conn
    • ,
  • Cary A. Caldwell, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gastroenterology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn
    • ,
  • Terence K. Trow, MD

      Affiliations

    • Pulmonary Hypertension Center, Division of Internal Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Terence K. Trow, MD, Pulmonary Hypertension Center, Division of Internal Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, LCI 105D, PO Box 208057, New Haven, CT 06520-8057.

Pulmonary manifestations of interferon (IFN) use are a rare but well known complication seen with both standard and pegylated interferon α-2b (pegIFNα-2b) forms of the agent. These are generally of modest intensity and reversible. We report the first case of fulminant adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with pegylated interferon α-2a (pegIFNα-2a) and ribavirin use for hepatitis C, complicated by subsequent and ultimately fatal sepsis and multiorgan failure. Practicing gastroenterologists and intensivists alike need to be aware of the potential for serious pulmonary sequelae with the use of combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C viral (CHCV) infections.

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PII: S0147-9563(07)00178-1

doi:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2007.10.002

Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care
Volume 37, Issue 2 , Pages 153-156, March 2008

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