[Therapy with interferon (recombinant IFN-alpha-2C) in myeloproliferative diseases with severe thrombocytoses]

15 patients with myeloproliferative diseases and thrombocythaemia (7 Polycythaemia vera, 5 essential thrombocythaemia, 3 chronic myelogenous leukaemia) were assigned to a therapy with recombinant interferon (recombinant IFN-alpha-2C) in a prospective, controlled trial. Under therapy all patients showed a significant decrease in thrombocyte values. 51% of the patients revealed thrombocyte values within the normal range after 3 months of IFN therapy. Noted side effects of IFN therapy were dose-dependent and clinically well tolerated by the patients.