The efficacy of continuous interferon alpha administration as an adjunctive agent to colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever patients.
OBJECTIVE
About 10-20% of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients are resistant to regular colchicine treatment and have painful recurrent attacks due to polyserositis. In clinical practice there is no alternative drug for such patients. In a previous pilot study on a small number of colchicine-resistant patients, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) was administered when painful attacks were about to occur.


METHODS
In this study we gave IFN-alpha continuously to 8 colchicine-resistant FMF patients in a schedule while the colchicine therapy had been continued. All those patients were complicated with vasculitis or arthritis or together during the FMF course. Those complications were treated with the other immunosuppressive drugs. While they were under intense immunosuppressive therapy, the abdominal and the other serosal attacks remained to continue.


RESULTS
After the administration of IFN-alpha therapy only one out of eight patients had abdominal painful attacks in twice, and one patient had arthritis in knees and ankles, the others responded well. Observed side effects were generally mild and acceptable.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous IFN administration in addition to the regular colchicine treatment may be useful for the colchicine-resistant attacks in FMF patients.
Calguneri
M
M
Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Apras
S
S
Ozbalkan
Z
Z
Ozturk
M A
MA
Ertenli
I
I
Kiraz
S
S
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D012700:Serositis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D003078:Colchicine