title: Interferon-alpha treatment of four patients with the Churg-Strauss syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interferon-alpha is reported to have a beneficial effect on patients with the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of interferon-alpha on the Churg-Strauss syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients with biopsy-proven Churg-Strauss syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interferon-alpha at dosages of 7.5 to 63 million U per week.
  
  
  METHODS
  Disease extent, disease activity, and blood eosinophil count in a treatment period ranging from 14 to 25 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interferon-alpha therapy led to remission of disease and a substantial reduction of the prednisolone requirement in two patients who had attained incomplete remission with cyclophosphamide or methotrexate. The third patient's condition stabilized, and the fourth patient maintained remission. During interferon-alpha therapy, the blood eosinophil count in all patients decreased in a dose-dependent manner and paralleled the extent of clinical disease and disease activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interferon-alpha may be an effective treatment for the Churg-Strauss syndrome. It seems to exert its effect primarily by producing a dose-dependent decrease in the blood eosinophil count.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tatsis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnabel
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015267:Churg-Strauss Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone; D008727:Methotrexate