BEHCETS-DISEASE INDUCED BY INTERFERON THERAPY FOR CHRONIC MYELOGENOUSLEUKEMIA

A 59-year-old Japanese woman, diagnosed with mixed connective tissue d isease (MCTD) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), developed severa l characteristic features of Behcet's disease (BD) after receiving alp ha-interferon (IFN-alpha). She displayed recurrent oral aphtha, genita l ulceration, erythema nodosum at the bilateral arm, and low grade fev er. The skin of the femur where the IFN-alpha was injected showed nodu lar acneiform changes. Skin biopsy revealed perivascular infiltration. The symptoms compatible with BD improved after discontinuation of IFN -alpha and the introduction of prednisolone and azathioprine. This is the first description of BD induced by IFN-alpha.