title: Systemic lymphoblastoid interferon therapy in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. I. Clinical and MRI evaluation.
abstract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, noncrossover trial determined the efficacy of lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN) in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (CP MS). Fifty patients received 5 X 10(6) IU IFN subcutaneously daily for 6 months while 50 received placebo. After 2 years, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups based on clinical evaluations and quantitative MRI analysis of the brain, although a trend was observed in the IFN group. Clinically, the IFN group was worse at 1 and 3 months and improved at 6 to 18 months, when compared with the placebo group. Results of MRI evaluations of the brain at 6 months support this trend. This trend likely resulted from a subpopulation of 10 IFN-treated patients, characterized by a higher women:men ratio and a lower EDSS score at entry into the trial. We cannot recommend lymphoblastoid IFN as treatment for CP MS at this time.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Kastrukoff
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Oger
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Sacks
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Koopmans
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Petkau
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Paty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I