Interferon‐γ therapy for infection control in chronic granulomatous disease

Interferon (IFN)‐γ was subcutaneously administered to four patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) in order to evaluate its effects in controlling infection. Patients 1 to 3 were all males, while patient 4 was female. In patients 2 and 4, the length of infection‐associated hospitalization during the year of IFN therapy was significantly shorter than that during the whole observed period prior to IFN therapy. In patients 1 and 2, the length of hospitalization during a year of IFN therapy was shorter than that during 1 year prior to the therapy. Patient 3 exhibited no reduction in terms of the length of infectious disease during IFN therapy, because he suffered from a liver abscess before and during the therapy. As soon as the IFN therapy was stopped, patient 2 developed pneumonia and lymphadenitis, which were promptly relieved by readministering the agent. During 1 year of IFN therapy, patients 1, 2 and 4 showed no significant changes in either the nitroblue tetrazolium test, O₂‐ production or the expression of NADPH oxidase components in neutrophils. On the other hand, the O₂‐ generating ability of neutrophils from patient 3 slightly increased. Our limited observations suggest that IFN‐γ may be variably beneficial for infection control in CGD‐patients, irrespective of the in vitro phagocyte functions. A longer follow‐up time is needed to confirm the IFN response in CGD‐patients. 1995 Japan Pediatric Society