FREQUENCY OF THYROID DYSFUNCTION DURING INTERFERON AND RIBAVIRIN THERAPY IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C INFECTION

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of thyroid dysfunction during interferon and ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C infection.

METHODOLOGY

This cross-sectional research executed at Department of Medicine, JPMC, Karachi from 2^nd December 2024 to 2^nd April 2026. The sample of 160 patients aged 20 to 60 years on combined IFN-α and ribavirin therapy for 12 to 24 weeks were enrolled by consecutive sampling. Serum TSH and FT4 were assayed by automated chemiluminescent immunoassay. Statistical findings were expressed as mean ± SD or frequency, with chi-square applied at p ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 41.38 ± 8.33 years, with 92 male participants (57.5%) and 68 female participants (42.5%). Thyroid dysfunction was identified in 20 patients (12.5%). Mean serum TSH was significantly higher in patients with thyroid dysfunction at 5.65 ± 3.49 µIU/mL compared with 2.15 ± 1.00 µIU/mL in unaffected patients (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Thyroid dysfunction was documented in a clinically significant number of patients with chronic HCV in Pakistan treated with combination therapy with IFN-α and ribavirin. Only the serum TSH level was significantly different between the patients affected and patients unaffected, and age, FT4, duration of disease, duration of treatment, and sex were not significantly associated.