PROSPECTIVE 2-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF RECOMBINANT INTERFERON-GAMMA IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 March 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 17  (3) , 304-310
Abstract
Seventy patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) completing a 12-week multicenter double blind trial comparing recombinant human interferon-gamma (r-IFN-.gamma.) with placebo were enrolled in a longterm prospective protocol evaluating r-IFN-.gamma. in RA. Forty (57%) patients after 1 year and 26 (37%) patients after 2 years continued the drug with sustained clinical benefit. Over 2 years, r-IFN-.gamma. was discontinued in 44 patients (lack of efficacy - 25, withdrawn consent - 7, noncompliant - 4, suspected adverse drug reactions - 2, concurrent illness - 6). Two years of treatment with r-IFN-.gamma. were well tolerated with sustained clinical benefit in some patients with few significant adverse drug reactions.