ALPHA-INTERFERON IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBACUTE SCLEROSING PANENCEPHALITIS

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is an inexorably progressive disea se with no effective therapy. Recent trials of intrathecal and intrave ntricular alpha-interferon yielded controversial results. We tried int rathecal or intraventricular alpha-interferon in four patients with su bacute sclerosing panencephalitis. None of them had evidence of improv ement. We reviewed the previously published studies on the use of alph a-interferon in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Further internati onal collaborative studies are needed to determine the role of alpha-i nterferon in the treatment of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.