INTERFERON-GAMMA-SECRETING CELLS IN MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS PATIENTS TREATED WITH INTERFERON BETA-1B

Fifteen percent of multiple sclerosis patients about to be treated wit h interferon beta-lb exhibited elevated numbers of circulating interfe ron-gamma-secreting cells, defined as a value that exceeded the mean v alue for healthy controls by more than two standard deviations, Sixty percent of patients receiving the drug exhibited elevated interferon-g amma-secreting cell numbers during their first 2 months of treatment. Values normalized after 3 months. Prednisone treatment during the firs t month on the drug prevented the interferon-gamma-secreting cell surg e.