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Intrathecal interferon in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
Author(s) -
Huttenlocher Peter R.,
Picchietti Daniel L.,
Roos Raymond P.,
Cashman Neil R.,
Horowitz Bernard,
Horowitz Marilyn S.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410190317
Subject(s) - subacute sclerosing panencephalitis , medicine , cerebrospinal fluid , intrathecal , lumbar puncture , hemiparesis , interferon , gastroenterology , pathology , immunology , anesthesia , measles , lesion , vaccination , measles virus
Five patients with clinically advanced subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) were given human leukocyte interferon (IFN) by the lumbar route, 1 million IU every other day for a total of 30 days. Intrathecal IFN produced a meningeal inflammatory reaction in all patients and was associated with transient hemiparesis in 1. It persisted in the cerebrospinal fluid at measurable levels for 48 hours after a single injection. Although improvement was temporally related to intrathecal IFN in 1 patient, it is not clear whether this was induced by IFN or a spontaneous remission. A randomized controlled trial would be necessary to evaluate IFN critically as a therapy for SSPE.