Peripheral neuropathy during alpha-interferon therapy in a child with Hodgkin's disease

Peripheral neuropathy is one of the rarely reported neurological complicati ons of interferon therapy. The authors report such a case in a 15-year-old boy during alpha-interferon therapy for Hodgkin's disease. He received alph a-interferon at a dose of 1.8 million units/day 5 times a week by subcutane ous injections as adjuvant immunotherapy post autologous stem cell transpla nt. Twenty months after the initiation of therapy, he complained of severe pain in his lower distal extremities. Neurological examination revealed the absence of deep tendon reflexes. A nerve conduction study showed a sensori al, polyneuropathic involvement in the lower extremities. Within 4 weeks af ter the stopping of interferon, his pain Improved, and recovery was also se en by nerve conduction studies. Symptoms reappeared at the resumption of in terferon treatment. This study suggests that peripheral neuropathy may rare ly occur in patients given long-term interferon treatment at high cumulativ e dosage.