Sarcoidosis during HCV antiviral therapy

Sarcoidosis is an autoimmune granulomatous disease mainly affecting the respiratory system, which can be associated with cutaneous lesions, cardiac, ocular involvement, and granulomas of liver and spleen. It can develop as an uncommon complication of Hepatitis C virus infection treatments, with interferon alpha playing a possible causative role due to its immunomodulating action. Since respiratory symptoms can develop as a consequence of anti-HCV treatment, incidence rate of this complication is underestimated. We present the case of a Rumanian 49-year-old woman who developed respiratory and cutaneous sarcoidosis during treatment of HCV chronic hepatitis. Neither symptomatic sarcoidosis nor its radiological signs were present before treatment.