Ocular pseudo-myasthenic reaction induced by interferon in an AIDS patient

A 32-year-old, HIV-positive homosexual with Kaposi's sarcoma was given subcutaneous interferon-A (IFN) for two- and a-half months. The patient complained of ocular symptoms (ptosis of the left eyelid and intermittent diplopia) after the application of IFN-A. These symptoms persisted for the period of treatment and subsided after therapy was stopped. However after IFN-A was resumed, ptosis and diplopia recurred. Intensive serological and neurological diagnostic investigations failed to present any reason for these ocular symptoms. From data and the clinical appearance we suppose that in this case the patient suffered a pseudo-myasthenic reaction to IFN-A.