ALPHA-INTERFERON TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

Thirty patients who fulfilled clinical criteria defined by the CDC for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome were treated with alfa 2a interferon or plac ebo in a double-blind crossover study. Outcome was evaluated by Natura l Killer (NK) cell function, lymphocyte proliferation to mitogens and soluble antigens, Cd4/CD8 counts and a 10 item Quality of Life (QOL) s urvey. Although mean NK function rose from 87.8 +/- 19.6 to 129.3 +/- 20.7 lytic untis (LU; p<.05) with 12 weeks of interferon therapy, ther e was no significant change in the other immunologic parameters or QOL scores. When the 26 patients who completed the study were stratified according to their baseline NK function and lymphocyte proliferation, 4 groups were identified: 3 patients had normal NK cell function and l ymphocyte proliferation when compared to normal, healthy controls, 9 h ad isolated deficiency in lymphocyte proliferation, 7 had diminished N K function only, and 7 had abnormalities for both parameters. QOL scor es were not significantly different for the four groups at baseline. A fter 12 weeks of interferon therapy, QOL score significantly improved in each of the seven patients with isolated NK cell dysfunction (mean score, 16.3 +/- 7.9) compared to baseline (39.7 +/- 12.1; p<.05). In t hese patients the mean NK function increased from 35.1 +/- 11.7 to 91. 5 +/- 22.7 LU (p<.01). Significant improvement was not recorded for QO L in the other three groups. Thus, therapy with alpha interferon has a significant effect on the QOL of that subgroup of patients with CFS m anifesting an isolated decrease in NK function.