title: Effect of gamma interferon on lung function of mustard gas exposed patients, after 15 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bronchiolitis has been known to be among the main the pathological features of lung lesions in Mustard Gas (MG) exposed patients. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of interferon gamma-1b on the lung function in MG exposed patients with bronchiolitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six bronchiolitis patients, whose lung lesion had been diagnosed through High Resolution Computerized Tomography (HRCT) of the chest and also pathological study, were divided into two 18-member case and control groups. Both groups were receiving their conventional treatment (inhaled Felixotide and Servent). The case group were treated for 6 months with a combination of 200 microg of interferon gamma-1b (given three times per week subcutaneously) plus 7.5 mg of prednisolone (given once a day), while the control group received their previous conventional medications. Lung function was measured at base line and after 1, 3 and 6 months of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In case and control groups, Forced Expiratory Volume in first second (FEV1) did not have statistical differences at the base line (49.3 +/- 2.9 and 48.7 +/- 4.1, respectively = 0.6), whereas a significant increase was seen in the case group (66.3 +/- 5.4) compared control group (57.3 +/- 8.6) at the subsequent months (P = 0.001 for the difference between the groups). Similar pattern of increase was observed in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study indicate that a 6-month treatment with interferon gamma-1b plus a low-dose prednisolone is associated with an improvement in the lung function in mustard-gas exposed patients with bronchiolitis.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Chemical Injuries, Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University, Tehran, Iran. m.ghanei@bmsu.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghanei
authors.forename: Yoones
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Panahi
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mojtahedzadeh
authors.forename: Ali Reza Hosseini
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aslani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000506:poisoning*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000506:poisoning*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D011239:Prednisolone; D009151:Mustard Gas