VIRAL HEPATITIS C PATIENTS; HYPOTHYROIDISM WITH RELATION OF INTERFERON TREATED PATIENTS

Objectives: To determine the frequency of hypothyroidism in patients with viralhepatitis receiving interferon treatment. Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional. Setting:Department of Medicine, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Duration of Study: Sixmonths. Subjects and Methods: All patients with age 30 to 60 years of either gender havingpersistent or intermittent elevation of alanine arninotransferase (ALT, the upper limit of normalALT is 40 IU/L) over a six-month period and Anti-HCV positivity and detection of HCV-RNA inthe sera On IFN-α mono therapy for more than 3 months were enrolled. History of duration ofdisease and treatment was obtained from patients. A 3 cc blood sample of Patients were drawnand send for TSH level. Presence of TSH level >4.0 miU/L was labelled as Hypothyroidism.Results: Mean age of the patients was 51.79±7.96 years. There were 51 (43.60%) males and 66(56.40%) females. Mean TSH level was 3.98±0.23 mIU/L. Mean duration of HCV was 6.42±1.67months. Mean duration of treatment was 5.42±1.67 months. Frequency of hypothyroidism wasfound in 62 (53%) patients. Conclusion: The frequency of hypothyroidism in patients with viralhepatitis receiving interferon treatment was found to be 62 (53%).