Therapy with interferon-alpha plus ribavirin for membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis induced by hepatitis C virus

we describe a treatment made with interferon-a (ifn-a) plus ribavirin of two patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (mpgn) induced by hepatitis c virus (hcv): case 1 was a 22-year-old woman with leg and facial edema, hypertension and proteinuria, whose liver biopsy revealed chronic active hepatitis; and case 2 was a 42-year-old man with anasarca, hypertension and proteinuria, whose liver biopsy indicated cirrhosis. both had anti-hcv, hcv-rna and cryoglobulins. ifn-a (3 million units (mu), 3 times/week) and ribavirin (1 g/day) were administered for 12 months. the drugs were well tolerated by both patients. serum alanine aminotransferase (alt) levels normalized and hcv-rna became negative. cryoglobulins disappeared and an improvement in renal disease was seen after 6 months of therapy. however, after 9 months, case 2 presented alt elevation, and proteinuria was detected. two years after the end of therapy, both patients were negative in repeated hcv-rna and cryoglobulin tests. case 1 was asymptomatic, with normal liver and renal tests, and case 2 had normal blood pressure, with mild edema of the ankles. based on the evolution of these two cases, the association of ifn-a and ribavirin may be a therapeutic option for patients with mpgn related to hcv.