Use of recombinant interferon gamma in pediatric patients with advanced juvenile chronic arthritis.

Recombinant interferon (IFN) gamma was used in 10 patients,6 to 15 years old, with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) for5 to 11 years, resistant or with severe side effects toother treatments. Six patients had systemic JCA and 4started as pauciarticular. Three of the latterbecame polyarticular. Treatment schedule was 50000 IU–kg daily for 4 weeks, then 3 times per week for 3 months andtwice a week up to 2 years. Eight cases had favourableclinical response. Prolonged steroid regime could besuspended in 7/8 cases who previously received it. Twopatients with systemic JCA did not respond to IFNtreatment. Side effects were fever (9), headache (8),chills (6), distal cyanosis, hypotension, leukopenia andmyalgia (2), and vomiting (1). All were mild or moderate. IFN gamma was more tolerable than other drugs and seems to be beneficial for patients with JCA resistant to other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]