TREATMENT OF STEROID-DEPENDENT ASTHMA WITH RECOMBINANT INTERFERON-GAMMA

We have recently reported that treatment of patients with severe atopi c dermatitis with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) resulted i n clinical improvement as well as a reduction of circulating eosinophi ls. Since IgE-dependent late phase allergic reactions and eosinophilic infiltration are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesi s of asthma, we conducted a two centre randomized double-blind placebo -controlled trial of rIFN-gamma in the treatment of steroid-dependent asthma. Patients were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of ei ther 0.05 mg/m2 rIFN-gamma (n = 9) or placebo (n = 11) for 90 days. Al l patients completed the study without significant drug toxicity noted . Oral prednisone dose, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), p eak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) and circulating eosinophil counts wer e monitored throughout the trial. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in per cent reduction from baseline o f daily prednisone (P = 0.51). There was also no significant differenc e between the two treatment groups in per cent change from baseline in FEV1 (P = 0.54) or in PEFR (P = 0.75). Total circulating eosinophil c ounts decreased by 31% in the rIFN-gamma group and increased by 8.5% i n the placebo group (P = 0.09). We conclude that this treatment regime n was not effective in patients with steroid-dependent asthma.