Spastic diplegia as a complication of interferon Alfa-2a treatment of hemangiomas of infancy

We report the development of spastic diplegia in infants during the course of interferon Alfa-2a (IFN) therapy for potentially life-endangering hemangiomas. Five infants who displayed diplegia were selected from a group of 26 infants treated with IFN. Diplegia persisted in three infants, and in the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of pediatrics 1998-03, Vol.132 (3), p.527-530
Main Authors: Barlow, Charles F., Priebe, Cedric J., Mulliken, John B., Barnes, Patrick D., Mac Donald, Dorothy, Folkman, Judah, Ezekowitz, R.Alan B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy
Biological and medical sciences
Brain
Cerebral Palsy - etiology
Cerebral Palsy - physiopathology
Cognitive Development
Female
Females
Hemangioma - therapy
Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Informed Consent
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha - adverse effects
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Medical sciences
Other diseases. Hematologic involvement in other diseases
Patients
Pregnancy
Recombinant Proteins
Verbal Development
Young Children
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Summary:We report the development of spastic diplegia in infants during the course of interferon Alfa-2a (IFN) therapy for potentially life-endangering hemangiomas. Five infants who displayed diplegia were selected from a group of 26 infants treated with IFN. Diplegia persisted in three infants, and in the remaining two significant recovery occurred after IFN was discontinued. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no significant brain or spinal abnormalities except minor to moderate delayed myelination in two patients. Myelination was normal on subsequent radiographic examination in all five patients. We conclude that IFN can adversely affect the immature central nervous system and produce spastic diplegia, which is potentially reversible. We recommend careful clinical assessment of neurodevelopmental status during IFN therapy. (J Pediatr 1998;132:527-30)
ISSN:0022-3476
1097-6833
DOI:10.1016/S0022-3476(98)70034-4