[A case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis treated with intraventricular interferon--the side effects of interferon-alpha to the central nervous system].

A patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) was treated with an intraventricular alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) through an Ommaya reservoir. A 17-year-old boy, who had a history of measles exposure at age 1, showed forgetfulness, difficulties in calculation, reading and writing. Two months later he developed generalized convulsions and myoclonic spasms. He was admitted to the National Saigata Hospital in May 20, 1992. On admission, anti-measles antibody titer in the CSF was 1:16 by complement-fixation method. His EEG revealed a periodic synchronous discharge. Therefore, the diagnosis of SSPE was confirmed. An Ommaya reservoir was implanted on July 7, 1992, and an intraventricular administration of INF-alpha was begun after two weeks. The dose of INF-alpha was gradually increased from 1.0 x 10(6) IU/m2 to 2.0 x 10(6) IU/m2 twice a week. Fever, vomiting and anorexia were developed when the INF-alpha injection was first started. When he received a total dose of 8.0 x 10(6) IU, he became bed ridden for remarkable lethargy. The lethargy was continued for about 10 days despite the therapy was interrupted, and then he gradually became alert. The frequency of myoclonus became more frequent and mentality got worse, so the treatment with INF-alpha was tried again in decreasing the dose to 1.0 x 10(6) IU/m2 twice a week. However, be became drowsy again after he received a total of 7.5 x 10(6) IU. With intramuscular or intravenous administrations of the high doses of INF-alpha (> or = 1.0 x 10(7) IU), significant neurological abnormalities were reported to occur.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)