Subcutaneous Sarcoidosis during Pegylated Interferon Alfa and Ribavirin Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis C

Drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reaction three months after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

A 70-year-old man with hepatitis C virus-related recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma was admitted for further diagnosis of a 1 cm iso-hyperechoic nodule in segment (S) 5.

CASE SUMMARY

Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI) revealed the nodule in S5 with a defect at the hepatobiliary phase, hyperintensity on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and hypointensity on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed hypervascularity at the early phase, and delayed contrast-enhancement was observed at the late phase. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (US) revealed incomplete defect at the late vascular phase. Inflammatory liver tumor, lymphoproliferative disease, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (small duct type) and bile duct adenoma were suspected through the imaging studies. US guided biopsy, however, showed a noncaseating hepatic sarcoid-like epithelioid granuloma (HSEG), and histopathological analysis disclosed spindle shaped epithelioid cells harboring Langhans-type multinucleated giant cells. One month after admission, EOB-MRI signaled the disappearance of the defect at the hepatobiliary phase, of hyperintensity on DWI, of hypointensity on ADC map, and no stain at the early phase.

CONCLUSION

That the patient had received BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination 3 mo before the occurrence of HSEG, and that its disappearance was confirmed 4 mo after mRNA vaccination suggested that the drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reaction (DISR) might be induced by the mRNA vaccination. Fortunately, rechallenge of drug-induced DISR with the third mRNA vaccination was not confirmed.

Interferon-induced sarcoidosis with uveitis as the initial symptom: a case report and review of the literature

Background

In recent years, numerous studies have reported the development or exacerbation of sarcoidosis due to interferon therapy. However, ocular lesions rarely present as initial symptoms. Herein, we describe a rare case of interferon-α-induced sarcoidosis with uveitis as the initial symptom, and present a review of the relevant literature.

Case presentation

This case involved a 62-year-old-Japanese woman with a history of a combination treatment of pegylated interferon-α-2a, ribavirin, and simeprevir, after which she developed granulomatous panuveitis. She was subsequently diagnosed with sarcoidosis following histological examination of skin biopsy specimens. In addition to reporting this case, we performed a literature review of 27 cases (24 case reports) of histopathologically diagnosed interferon-α-induced sarcoidosis published between January 2009 and November 2018.

Conclusions

Among the reviewed cases, 23 (85.1%) cases developed skin lesions and 19 (70.1%) had lung lesions. Only three cases (11.1%) had accompanying eye lesions. Interferon-α therapy was discontinued in 16 cases (52.9%), and the majority exhibited improvement after systemic corticosteroid treatment. There are few reported cases of interferon-α-induced sarcoidosis with uveitis as the initial symptom. However, if uveitis develops during or after interferon-α treatment, it might represent an initial symptom of interferon-α-induced sarcoidosis, as observed in the present case.

Drug-Induced Sarcoidosis-Like Reactions

A drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reaction (DISR) is a systemic granulomatous reaction that is indistinguishable from sarcoidosis and occurs in a temporal relationship with initiation of an offending drug. DISRs typically improve or resolve after withdrawal of the offending drug. Four common categories of drugs that have been associated with the development of a DISR are immune checkpoint inhibitors, highly active antiretroviral therapy, interferons, and tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists. Similar to sarcoidosis, DISRs do not necessarily require treatment because they may cause no significant symptoms, quality of life impairment, or organ dysfunction. When treatment of a DISR is required, standard antisarcoidosis regimens seem to be effective. Because a DISR tends to improve or resolve when the offending drug is discontinued, this is another effective treatment for a DISR. However, the offending drug need not be discontinued if it is useful, and antigranulomatous therapy can be added. In some situations, the development of a DISR may suggest a beneficial effect of the inducing drug. Understanding the mechanisms leading to DISRs may yield important insights into the immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

[Sarcoïdose in patient with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon]

Induced sarcoïdosis during therapy with interferon for chronic viral hepatitis C involves mainly by isolated cutaneous lesions or with lung lesions. Systemic forms are very rare. We report an observation. A 50-year-old patient developed a systemic sarcoïdosis two months after the end of treatment for hepatitis C with pegylated interferon and ribavirin with lung, joint and hepatic manifestations. After starting corticosteroid therapy, the evolution was favourable. Induced sarcoïdosis by interferon therapy is rare, treatment necessitates stopping interferon, and sometimes corticosteroid therapy.

Two cases of interferon-alpha-induced sarcoidosis Koebnerized along venous drainage lines: new pathogenic insights and review of the literature of interferon-induced sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown origin commonly affecting the lung, the lymphoid system and the skin. We report here two cases of cutaneous sarcoidosis in two former intravenous drug users following interferon (IFN)-α and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Both patients developed skin sarcoidosis along venous drainage lines of both forearms, coinciding with the areas of prior drug injections. The unique distribution of the skin lesions suggests that tissue damage induced by repeated percutaneous drug injections represents a trigger for the local skin manifestation of sarcoidosis. Interestingly, skin damage was recently found to induce the local expression IFN-α, a well-known trigger of sarcoidosis in predisposed individuals. Here we review the literature on sarcoidosis elicited in the context of IFN-α therapy and propose a new link between the endogenous expression of IFN-α and the induction of disease manifestations in injured skin.

Cutaneous sarcoidosis in a chronic hepatitis C patient receiving pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy

A 61-year-old Japanese woman suffered from a small, painful, subcutaneous nodule on the sole of her foot that was 10 mm across in diameter during pegylated interferon (PEG IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Skin biopsy revealed multiple non-caseating granulomas composed of epithelioid histiocytes with multinucleate giant cells, which was consistent with sarcoidosis. Ophthalmologic examination revealed uveitis. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) showed multiple bilateral hilar lymphadenopathies and a diffuse micronodular interstitial pattern of the lungs. Genetic analysis indicated a probable homozygous haplotype of A*02:01-C*15:02-B*51:01-DRB1*16:02-DQB1*05:02 in human leukocyte antigen regions. The patient was observed carefully without any additional medication because no significant systemic symptoms were noted. Combination therapy was continued for 2 months afterwards. She was asymptomatic for over 3 years of follow up, and repeated hematological and biological investigations and chest CT showed improvement. In conclusion, clinicians should bear sarcoidosis in mind as a complication during PEG IFN and RBV combination therapy. They should also be aware of the usually good prognosis of PEG IFN-induced cutaneous sarcoidosis in order not to prematurely discontinue a treatment necessary for liver disease; maintenance of PEG IFN treatment may be advised with careful follow up.

Exacerbation of Skin Lesions in a 50 year old Man with Psoriasis during Treatment by Pegylated Interferon

Chronic hepatitis C might lead to several immunological dysfunctions. Studies have shown a positive association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and psoriasis. These results suggest that the infection may be one of the triggering factors for the development or exacerbation of psoriasis. Here, we present a case of chronic HCV infection with psoriasis who developed exacerbation of skin lesions during therapy with peginterferon alpha-2a plus ribavirin. We discuss the management, course and results of HCV treatment in this patient.

Linkage of type I interferon activity and TNF-alpha levels in serum with sarcoidosis manifestations and ancestry

Background

Both type I interferon (IFN), also known as IFN-α and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. We investigated serum levels of these cytokines in a large multi-ancestral sarcoidosis population to determine correlations between cytokine levels and disease phenotypes.

Methods

We studied serum samples from 98 patients with sarcoidosis, including 71 patients of African-American ancestry and 27 patients of European-American ancestry. Serum type I IFN was measured using a sensitive reporter cell assay and serum TNF-α was measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Clinical data including presence or absence of neurologic, cardiac, and severe pulmonary manifestations of sarcoidosis were abstracted from medical records. Twenty age-matched non-autoimmune controls were also studied from each ancestral background. Differences in cytokine levels between groups were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test, and correlations were assessed using Spearman's rho. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to detect associations between cytokines and clinical manifestations.

Results

Significant differences in cytokine levels were observed between African- and European-American patients with sarcoidosis. In African-Americans, serum TNF-α levels were significantly higher relative to matched controls (P = 0.039), and patients with neurologic disease had significantly higher TNF-α than patients lacking this manifestation (P = 0.022). In European-Americans, serum type I IFN activity was higher in sarcoidosis cases as compared to matched controls, and patients with extra-pulmonary disease represented a high serum IFN subgroup (P = 0.0032). None of the associations observed were shared between the two ancestral groups.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that significant associations between serum levels of TNF-α and type I IFN and clinical manifestations exist in a sarcoidosis cohort that differ significantly by self-reported ancestry. In each ancestral background, the cytokine elevated in patients with sarcoidosis was also associated with a particular disease phenotype. These findings may relate to ancestral differences in the molecular pathogenesis of this heterogeneous disease.