1996 Volume 37 Issue 7 Pages 387-392
A 66-year-old woman diagnosed as having chronic hepatitis C was admitted because of laparoscopic examination and interferon (IFN) therapy. The level of transaminase did not normalize during IFN treatment and elevated after stopping of IFN treatment and the serum CPK value also elevated which was suspected of hypothyroidism associated with IFN treatment. The value of TSH, antibodies to thyroid microsomal antigen (MCHA) increased, and the value of T3 and T4 were decreased, respectively. Serum CPK isozyme electrophoresis and immunofixation electrophoresis showed CPK-IgA (λ) complex (CPK-linked immunoglobulin). This complex had gradually disappeared without no therapy, following the normalization of the value of CPK, GPT, TSH, T3 and T4. Retrospectively, we examined TSH, T3, T4, MCHA, antibodies to thyroglobulin, CPK and its isozyme by using the preserved sera before IFN treatment and three months after IFN treatment which showed all within normal limits or negative. These findings might suggest that IFN treatment induced CPK-linked immunoglobulin independently or associated with hypothyroidism. In patients on IFN therapy showing persistant high level of CPK, CPK-linked immunoglobulin should be considered.
