Case Report
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 7, 2009; 15(29): 3694-3696
Published online Aug 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.3694
Bell’s palsy and choreiform movements during peginterferon α and ribavirin therapy
Sener Barut, Hatice Karaer, Erol Oksuz, Aslı Gündoğdu Eken, Ayse Nazlı Basak
Sener Barut, Department of Infectious Diseases, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60100 Tokat, Turkey
Hatice Karaer, Department of Neurology, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60100 Tokat, Turkey
Erol Oksuz, Department of Neurosurgery, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60100 Tokat, Turkey
Aslı Gündoğdu Eken, Ayse Nazlı Basak, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Neurodegeneration Laboratory, Bogazici University, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey
Author contributions: Barut S, Karaer H and Oksuz E contributed equally to diagnosis and management of the case; Gündoğdu Eken A and Basak AN contributed to analysis of neurologic disorder; Barut S and Karaer H wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Sener Barut, MD, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Gaziosmanpasa University School of Medicine, 60100 Tokat, Turkey. senerbarut@yahoo.com
Telephone: +90-356-2129500-1207
Fax: +90-356-2133179
Received: April 23, 2009
Revised: June 23, 2009
Accepted: June 30, 2009
Published online: August 7, 2009
Abstract

Neuropsychiatric side effects of long-term recombinant interferon-α therapy consist of a large spectrum of symptoms. In the literature, cranial neuropathy, especially Bell’s palsy, and movement disorders, have been reported much less often than other neurotoxic effects. We report a case of Bell’s palsy in a patient with chronic hepatitis C during peginterferon-α and ribavirin therapy. The patient subsequently developed clinically inapparent facial nerve involvement on the contralateral side and showed an increase in choreic movements related to Huntington’s disease during treatment.

Keywords: Interferon α; Bell’s palsy; Neurotoxicity; Huntington’s disease