Reactions 716 - 29 Aug 1998

Interferon-α-2a

Myopathy: 4 case reportsFour women, aged 46–50 years, developed persistent

myopathic symptoms during long-term therapy withinterferon-α-2a for various skin disorders. These includedcutaneous lymphoma (1 patient), systemic mastocytosis (1)and Adamantiades-Behcet disease (2).

The patients were treated with interferon-α-2a 3–9MU 3times weekly. During continued treatment, they developedsymptoms of persistent myalgia, fatigue and muscle weaknesswhich persisted for 2–18 months. In the 3 patients whounderwent electromyography, myopathic changes in theupper and/or lower limbs were confirmed.

Interferon-α-2a was discontinued in all patients andmyopathic symptoms improved slowly over 4–8 weeks in 3 ofthe patients. In 1 patient, residual muscular weaknesspersisted.

Author comment: ‘IFN [interferon]-α-2a therapy mayinduce noninflammatory muscular atrophy, suggesting that thedrug may directly affect muscle metabolism. Alternatively, it ispossible that general fatigue and weakness symptoms inducedby long-term rIFN-α therapy may lead to disuse muscularatrophy.’Dippel E, et al. Myopathic syndrome associated with long-term interferon alfatreatment in 4 patients with skin disorders. Archives of Dermatology 134: 880-881,Jul 1998 - Germany 800693470

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Reactions 29 Aug 1998 No. 7160114-9954/10/0716-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved