ADAMANTIADES-BEHCET DISEASE - TREATMENT W ITH SYSTEMIC RECOMBINANT INTERFERON ALPHA-2A

The effect of systemic recombinant interferon alpha-2a (rIFN-alpha-2a) on the mucocutaneous lesions in Adamantiades-Behcet's disease was ass essed in ten patients with the mucocutaneous type of the disease. rIFN -alpha-2a was applied subcutaneously at a dose of 9 x 10(6) IU three t imes a week for 6 months. Five patients showed a significant reduction in the number, severity, duration and frequency of their mucocutaneou s lesions during the treatment compared with the pretreatment phase, w hereas in two patients a complete remission and in three patients a pa rtial remission was achieved. In two patients, one with complete and o ne with partial remission, recurrence of the cutaneous symptoms occurr ed shortly after discontinuation of the treatment. Renewed administrat ion of rIFN-alpha-2a again led to remission of the symptoms. In anothe r patient with initial partial remission followed by exacerbation, int erferon alpha antibodies were detected and the patient responded again when 15 x 10(6) IU rIFN-alpha-2a was administered three times a week. Three patients did not show any change in the characteristics of thei r lesions, while two patients experienced progression of their disease during treatment. Side-effects were generally mild and well tolerated , but the treatment was discontinued earlier than planned in one patie nt because of fatigue, myalgia, hypotonus and diarrhoea. Since the cla ssical treatments are generally unsatisfactory, the results of the pre sent study justify the administration of systemic rIFN-alpha-2a in the treatment of the mucocutaneous type of Adamantiades-Behcet's disease.