INTERFERON-ALPHA TREATMENT OF 4 PATIENTS WITH THE CHURG-STRAUSS-SYNDROME

Background: Interferon-cr is reported to have a beneficial effect on p atients with the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. Objective: To study the effect of interferon-cr on the Churg-Strauss syndrome.Design : Case series. Setting: University hospital. Patients: Four patients w ith biopsy-proven Churg-Strauss syndrome. Intervention: Interferon-cr at dosages of 7.5 to 63 million U per week. Measurements: Disease exte nt, disease activity, and blood eosinophil count in a treatment period ranging from 14 to 25 months. Results: Interferon-alpha therapy led t o remission of disease and a substantial reduction of the prednisolone requirement in two patients who had attained incomplete remission wit h cyclophosphamide or methotrexate. The third patient's condition stab ilized, and the fourth patient maintained remission. During interferon -alpha therapy, the blood eosinophil count in all patients decreased i n a dose-dependent manner and paralleled the extent of clinical diseas e and disease activity. Conclusions: Interferon-alpha may be an effect ive treatment for the Churg-Strauss syndrome. It seems to exert its ef fect primarily by producing a dose-dependent decrease in the blood eos inophil count.