Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (28)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tak, P. P.
Right arrow Articles by Breedveld, F. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tak, P. P.
Right arrow Articles by Breedveld, F. C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Rheumatology, Vol 38, 362-369, Copyright © 1999 by British Society for Rheumatology

ORIGINAL PAPERS

The effects of interferon beta treatment on arthritis

PP Tak, BA 't Hart, MC Kraan, M Jonker, TJ Smeets and FC Breedveld
Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether interferon beta (IFN-beta) therapy might have a beneficial effect on arthritis, we evaluated the effect of IFN-beta on collagen type II-induced arthritis (CIA) in rhesus monkeys and conducted a pilot study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Four rhesus monkeys with CIA were treated with 10 x 10(6) U (MIU)/kg mammalian cell-derived recombinant IFN-beta (Rebif; Ares- Serono) s.c. daily for 1 week. Subsequently, 12 patients with active RA were treated for 12 weeks with purified natural fibroblast IFN-beta (Frone, Ares-Serono) s.c. 3 times weekly at the following dosages: 6 MIU (n = 4), 12 MIU (n = 4) and 18 MIU (n = 4). RESULTS: Rapid clinical improvement during IFN-beta therapy was observed in three of the four rhesus monkeys with CIA. There was also a marked decrease in serum C- reactive protein (CRP) levels with a subsequent increase after discontinuation of the treatment in all monkeys. The 10 RA patients who completed the study exhibited on average gradual improvement of tender and swollen joint counts, patient's assessment of pain, and patient's and doctor's global assessment (all P < 0.05). The health assessment questionnaire and serum CRP levels also tended to decrease, but this was not statistically significant; 40% of the patients fulfilled the ACR criteria for 20%, improvement, whereas none fulfilled the ACR criteria for 50% improvement 12 weeks after initiation of treatment. There was no clear dose response relationship. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that IFN-beta treatment has a beneficial effect on arthritis.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Rheumatology (Oxford)Home page
J. Adriaansen, M. J. B. M. Vervoordeldonk, and P. P. Tak
Gene therapy as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: innovative vectors and therapeutic genes
Rheumatology, June 1, 2006; 45(6): 656 - 668.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Immunol.Home page
N. Molnarfi, N. Hyka-Nouspikel, L. Gruaz, J.-M. Dayer, and D. Burger
The Production of IL-1 Receptor Antagonist in IFN-{beta}-Stimulated Human Monocytes Depends on the Activation of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase but Not of STAT1
J. Immunol., March 1, 2005; 174(5): 2974 - 2980.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.