[Therapy of progressive scleroderma with gamma-interferon].

In an open study conducted over 6 months, gamma interferon was administered to 12 patients suffering from progressive systemic sclerosis. The dosage used was three injections, each of 50 micrograms s.c. in the first 2 weeks, followed by 50 micrograms twice a week. All patients fulfilled the criteria required for classification as type II in the ADF system or the major criterion of the ARA (proximal sclerosis). Therapeutic effects were noted as a decrease in of skin thickness (10/12 = 83%), improvement in muscle and joint pains (5/8 = 63%) and reduction of the procollagen-type III peptide in serum by more than 20% (8/12 = 66%). No effects on fibrosis or dysfunction of internal organs were seen. Disease progression did not occur in any of the patients. Side-effects of gamma interferon were noted in 4 patients, in the form of slightly elevated body temperature and transient influenza-like symptoms, but these occurred only at the beginning of therapy and soon passed.