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NEUROLOGY 1990;40:479
© 1990 American Academy of Neurology

Systemic lymphoblastoid interferon therapy in chronic progressive multiple Sclerosis. I. Clinical and MRI evaluation

L. F. Kastrukoff, MD, J. J. Oger, MD, S. A. Hashimoto, MD, S. L. Sacks, MD, D. K. Li, MD, M. R. Palmer, MASc, R. A. Koopmans, BSc, A. J. Petkau, PhD, J. Berkowitz, PhD and D. W. Paty, MD

Divisions of Neurology (Drs. Kastrukoff, Oger, Hashimoto, and Paty) and Infectious Disease (Dr. Sacks), Department of Medicine, the Department of Radiology (Dr. Li, M. Palmer, and M. Koopmans), and the Statistical Consulting and Research Laboratory, Department of Statistics (Drs. Petkau and Berkowitz), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, noncrossover trial determined the efficacy of lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN) in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (CP MS). Fifty patients received 5 x lo6 IUIFN subcutaneously daily for 6 months while 50 received placebo. After 2 years, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups based on clinical evaluations and quantitative MRI analysis of the brain, although a trend was observed in the IFN group. Clinically, the IFN group was worse at 1 and 3 months and improved at 6 to 18 months, when compared with the placebo group. Results of MRI evaluations of the brain at 6 months support this trend. This trend likely resulted from a subpopulation of 10 IFN-treated patients, characterized by a higher women: men ratio and a lower EDSS score at entry into the trial. We cannot recommend lymphoblastoid IFN as treatment for CP MS at this time.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Lorne F. Kastrukoff, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1W5, Canada.

Supported by grants from the Medical Research Council of Canada (MA-8182) (MA-8675), Pacific Isotopes Incorporated, and the Jacob W. Cohen Fund for Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

Received May 26,1989. Accepted for publication in final form August 23,1989.






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