title: Treatment of Peyronie's disease with local interferon-alpha 2b.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous interferon-alpha 2b in the treatment of Peyronie's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three men (mean age 53 years, range 27-69) received interferon-alpha 2b in an unrandomized prospective study. The drug was injected subcutaneously adjacent to the plaque three times a week for 3 weeks at a dose of 2 x 106 IU. The effect of interferon-alpha 2b on the extent of penile deviation, plaque size and erectile pain were investigated, and the drug's side-effects were documented. The mean (range) follow-up was 22 (4-48) months
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had pain relief and 13 of 19 with pain before treatment became pain-free. The penile deviation was reduced in one patient; the deviation increased despite therapy in one patient and remained stable in the others. Plaque size remained unchanged in all patients. Impaired sexual function was improved in seven (30%) of the patients. Side-effects (myalgia, fever) occurred after only four of 207 injections (2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subcutaneous interferon-alpha 2b is safe, well tolerated and relieves pain. However, with no objective reduction in penile deviation and plaque size, the outcome of interferon-alpha 2b therapy is generally unconvincing and the drug cannot be recommended for the conservative treatment of Peyronie's disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology and Paediatric Urology, Klinikum Offenburg, Offenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brake
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Loertzer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Horsch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010411:Penile Induration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins