title: Prospective 5-year followup of recombinant interferon-gamma in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define clinical and laboratory outcomes of longterm recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with RA (70) completing a 12-week multicenter double blind trial comparing rIFN-gamma with placebo were enrolled in a longterm prospective protocol evaluating rIFN-gamma in RA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients sustained clinical improvement for one year. Eight (11%) patients with RA continued to receive rIFN-gamma after 5 years. One patient fulfilled remission criteria. rIFN-gamma was well tolerated with remarkably few suspected adverse drug reactions. Forty-seven (67%) patients discontinued rIFN-gamma because of lack of efficacy, 7 (10%) because of concurrent illnesses, 5 (7%) were not compliant to study protocol, 3 (4%) developed suspected adverse drug reactions for a total of 62 (89%) withdrawals over the 5 years of followup. Patients continuing rIFN-gamma treatment for 5 years had lower initial total leukocyte and neutrophil counts and higher hemoglobin and hematocrit levels than patients who discontinued rIFN-gamma during the 5-year followup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longterm treatment of RA with rIFN-gamma was generally well tolerated. Although many patients maintained sustained clinical improvement for at least one year, the main reason for discontinuing the drug over 5 years was the lack of continued benefit.
authors.affiliation: Medical Service, VA Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84148.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Emkey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Denes
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Saway
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jaffer
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Manaster
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001175:Arthrography; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma