Here is an article that came out near the time the Mayo study was presented at CHEST.
pslgroup.com
CHEST: Interferon-Gamma 1b not Helpful for Severe, Advanced Pulmonary Fibrosis
By Alison Palkhivala
Special to DG News
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- November 8, 2001 -- Interferon-gamma 1b does not appear to be effective in treating severe, advanced disease pulmonary fibrosis.
Interferon-gamma 1b inhibits both fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition, and has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), for which no satisfactory treatments currently exist.
Sanjay Kalra, MD, and colleagues from the division of pulmonary & critical care medicine at the Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota, examined the role of this novel therapy in individuals with advanced, severe IPF. He presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nov. 4-8, 2001.
The investigators reviewed the records of all IPF patients treated with interferon-gamma 1b between January 2000 and March 2001 at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, as well as information obtained from the registry of patients maintained in the Interstitial Lung Diseases Clinic.
They identified 19 IPF patients treated with interferon-gamma 1b (200 µg three times a week administered subcutaneously), average age 66 years, three of whom were never smokers and 15 of whom had been treated previously with steroids. Diagnosis of IPF was determined via chest computed tomography scan and/or lung biopsy, and all were determined by their treating physician to have deteriorated on previous therapy.
While taking interferon-gamma 1b, only one patient reported an improvement in symptoms, there was no clear pattern of improvement of lung function, and follow-up at three, six, and nine months demonstrated worsening in some patients.
Four patients stopped therapy because of lack of efficacy or side effects. Six patients died while on the treatment, after an average of less than six months since starting the therapy.
"0.No symptomatic or functional benefits were noted in this group of patients with advanced, severe IPF," Dr. Kalra said.
The results of a larger, ongoing clinical trial will help determine whether interferon-gamma 1b plays a role in the management of less severe IPF. If interferon-gamma 1b does prove to be helpful in patients with earlier stage IPF, early diagnosis and treatment of this devastating condition could become key. |
