The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 36, 1005-1008, Copyright © 1997 by British Society for Rheumatology
M Tunca, E Tankurt, H Akbaylar Akpinar, S Akar, N Hizli and O Gonen
About a quarter of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients have
recurrent painful attacks of polyserositis despite regular colchicine
treatment. There is no known alternative drug for colchicine-resistant
cases. We had previously observed a patient with FMF whose painful attacks
disappeared during the 6 month period of interferon alpha (IFN) treatment
for his chronic hepatitis B. The objective of the present study was to
investigate the possible beneficial effect of IFN on these episodes.
Twenty-one consecutive attacks in seven adult patients with FMF were
treated at early onset with IFN, the dosage being 3-10 million I U s.c.
Eighteen of the 21 attacks could be halted in a mean time of 3.05 h, while
the intensity of abdominal pain remained very low. Observed side-effects
were generally mild and acceptable. IFN may be a useful adjunct for the
treatment of colchicine-resistant attacks in FMF patients.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
The efficacy of interferon alpha on colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever attacks: a pilot study
Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Balcova, Izmir, Turkey.
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