Interferon gamma in rheumatoid arthritis--a double blind study comparing human recombinant interferon gamma with placebo.
A double blind trial comparing recominant interferon gamma (IFN gamma) with placebo in rheumatoid arthritis is presented. Twenty-six patients entered the study and 22 completed the 6-month period. IFN gamma was administered subcutaneously as was placebo; the 1st week, patients treated with the active compound received a daily subcutaneous injection of 100 micrograms of IFN gamma and for the following 23 weeks the schedule was decreased to 2 injections of 100 micrograms every week. No serious side effects were observed. After Week 24 the group treated with the active compound showed a significant decrease of the joint tenderness score and the placebo group showed a significant increase of the number of subcutaneous nodules. All other variables shifted in favour of the active compound but not significantly. More double blind trials with a larger number of patients and using other treatment schedules or other routes of administration are required.
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012218:Rheumatoid Nodule / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma