INTERFERON-BETA PLUS INOSIPLEX IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBACUTE SCLEROSING PANENCEPHALITIS

We treated seven patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis wit h beta-interferon and oral inosiplex for 2 to 15 months. Stabilization or improvement was observed in three patients. The effect of treatmen t was equivocal in two other patients who became stable. The disease c ontinued its progression in the remaining two patients who died. Treat ment shorter than 2 months was not effective. Changes in electroenceph alograms (EEG), magnetic resonance images (MRI), or cerebrospinal flui d measles antibody levels did not have a close correlation with clinic al course. These results suggest that beta-interferon might be efficie nt in some patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and justi fy its trial in larger studies with longer follow-up.