Alpha-interferon therapy for congenital dyserythropoiesis type I

We report the case of a 28-year-old female followed for congenital dyserythropoiesis type I which required repeated transfusions. Alpha-2a interferon treatment was started because of post-transfusion chronic viral hepatitis type C. Following this treatment, haemoglobin level increased and reached normal value during the 24 weeks of interferon treatment. When interferon therapy was stopped, haemoglobin level returned to previous values, requiring more transfusions. Resumption of interferon therapy resulted again in a complete normalization of haemoglobin level. Erythrokinetic studies demonstrated a striking reduction of the ineffective erythropoiesis, and electron microscopy study a reduction in nuclear structure abnormalities. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the efficacy of interferon in congenital dyserythropoiesis.