Interferon therapy for multiple sclerosis - Enhanced risk of autoimmune diseases?

Multiple sclerosis is an immunomediated disease. There is some evidence tha t MS patients have a higher risk to develop autoantibodies and autoimmune d iseases than normal controls. Regarding the results of the prospective placebo-controlled clinical trials interferon-beta can be considered as a basic therapy for multiple sclerosi s. Besides its positive effects on multiple sclerosis, interferon-beta has a broad spectrum of immune-mediated side effects, In addition to the develo pment of autoantibodies the occurrence of autoimmune diseases under therapy with interferon-beta is reported in recent literature. In this review we analyse the aspects of interferon-beta therapy of multipl e sclerosis and autoimmune diseases with special regard to the follow-up ex amination of multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon-beta.