Association of Interferon-alpha and bone density in patients with hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis is a variety of liver dysfunctions with different causes and severities in which inflammation and necrosis last for at least six months. Choice treatment for all chronic viral hepatitis is interferon Alpha (IFN-α). Decreasing bone mass density (BMD) may lead to some complications such as non-traumatic spontaneous fractures. Regarding the decreased bone mass complications and existed dilemma, we conducted the current study to compare the BMD in chronic hepatitis patients before and after the IFN-α treatment. In a cohort study a total of 22 patients with chronic C- hepatitis needed to be treated with IFN-α were evaluated. All the patients underwent bone mineral densitometry at lumbar spine and femoral neck before and six months after the IFN-α treatment. The BMD result was recorded in information sheet. After the treatment, patients were evaluated again by BMD. All the necessary information such as age, sex, co-morbidity and another medication history were asked and recorded. IFN-α dosage was three million IU three times a week. The gathered data were entered SPSS version 14 and analyzed through Chi-Square and Wilcoxon tests to compare the means. Among 22 patients 21 (95.5%) were male. Mean age was 34.04±7.83 years and half of the patients were in 30 to 35 years age group. The participants had not significant difference in bone mass density indices (Z-score and T-score) before and after treatment with IFN-α (P-value>0.05). The bone mass density indices had not significant difference between different age groups of hepatitis C patients before and after treatment with IFN-α (P-value>0.05). In the current study IFN-α used in the treatment of patients with hepatitis C, had no significant effect on both femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD in them. To evaluate the long term effects of IFN-α it is suggested to do more studies with longer duration, however, the BMD may improve when the inflammation been alleviated long term.