THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF RECOMBINANT INTERFERON-ALPHA IN POLYCYTHEMIA-VERA

The therapeutic efficacy of recombinant interferon-alpha (rIFN-alpha) has been evaluated in 7 patients with polycythaemia vera (PV), diagnos ed according to the criteria of the Polycythemia Vera Study Group. Six complete responses and one partial response were achieved. Pruritus s ignificantly improved in 80% (4/5) of the cases. Recombinant interfero n-alpha had to be discontinued in 1 patient because of grade 3-4 nephr otoxicity according to WHO criteria. rIFN-alpha therapy significantly decreased the phlebotomy requirements and improved the mean corpuscula r volume, erythrocyte and platelet counts, pruritus complaints and the degree of splenomegaly (p<0.05). rIFN-alpha seems to be an effective treatment modality for the myeloproliferation of PV and pruritus compl aints.