Systemic interferon-alpha in the treatment of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.
Treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) was undertaken in 16 patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy (HAM). All patients had progressive spastic paraparesis before treatment. Twelve patients were enrolled in an open therapeutic trial with a dose of 3.0 x 10(6) IU/day of IFN-alpha and 4 in a randomized, double-blind, multidose (3.0 x 10(6), 1.0 x 10(6) or 0.3 x 10(6) IU/day) trial. IFN-alpha was injected intramuscularly for 28 days. Eight of 12 patients enrolled in an open trial and 2 patients receiving a dose of 3.0 x 10(6) IU/day of IFN-alpha in a randomized trial showed clinical improvements during and after the treatment. The results showed that, although not for all patients, systemic IFN-alpha with a dose of 3.0 x 10(6) IU/day is effective in the treatment of HAM.
Kuroda
Y
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Japan.
Kurohara
K
K
Fujiyama
F
F
Takashima
H
H
Endo
C
C
Matsui
M
M
Neshige
R
R
Kakigi
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha