Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of intralesional interferon gamma for the treatment of localized scleroderma - 11/09/11
Abstract |
Background: |
Localized scleroderma is characterized by circumscribed fibrotic plaques and may progress to widespread skin involvement and fibrosis. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of collagen synthesis and of the migration and proliferation of dermal fibroblasts.
Objective: |
Our purpose was to determine whether IFN-γ is effective in the treatment of localized scleroderma.
Methods: |
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter study was conducted. Twenty-four patients with progressive lesions received 100 μg of IFN-γ or placebo subcutaneously on 5 consecutive days for 2 weeks followed by 100 μg of IFN-γ or placebo once weekly for 4 weeks. Thereafter patients were observed for 18 weeks. To determine whether improvement could be related to an altered level of collagen messenger RNA (mRNA), biopsy specimens were taken from uninvolved and involved skin before and after therapy.
Results: |
The patients treated with IFN-γ or placebo showed no significant difference in size or fibrosis of lesions or collagen type I mRNA synthesis. However, a reduction in the number of new lesions was observed in the IFN-γ-treated group. The biopsy specimens obtained from involved skin showed a moderate increase of type I collagen and a significant decrease in the small proteoglycan decorin mRNA levels.
Conclusion: |
The results indicate that IFN-γ is ineffective in the treatment of localized scleroderma, but may inhibit the development of new lesions.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.* | Supported by The Bundesministerium fur Forschung und Technologie (BMFT) cooperative study “Lymphokine.” |
Vol 36 - N° 3
P. 433-435 - mars 1997 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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