title: Clinical studies of an interferon inducer, polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid [poly (I)-poly (C)], in children.
abstract: Fifteen children ranging in age from one and one-half to 14 years received intravenous polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid [poly (I)-poly (C)], an interferon inducer. The patients all had serious neurologic illness either directly or circumstatially related to viral infection. Peak titers of interferon in serum ranged from 8 to 500 units/ml in response to doses of poly (I)-poly (C) of 0.1-1.0 mg/kg. Serum interferon persisted for less than or equal to 24 hr after induction. Hyporesponsiveness to a second dose of poly (I)-poly (C) persisted for seven days after initial induction, after which time full response again occurred. The half-life of poly (I) poly (C) in plasma as measured in three patients was less than 30 min. poly (I-poly(C) appears to be safe when given intravenously, but the low titers of interferon induced may limit its clinical usefulness as an antiviral drug.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D011052:Poliomyelitis, Bulbar / Q000188:drug therapy; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D012202:Reye Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D012409:Rubella / Q000151:congenital / Q000188:drug therapy; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D007372:Interferons; D011070:Poly I-C