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GISC protocol experience in the treatment of essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia
P Pioltelli1, P Maldifassi, A Vacca
1Ospedale San Gerardo de Tintori, Monza.
Objective:
We compared the efficacy of interferon and deflazacort in the treatment of the cryoglobulinaemic syndrome and assessed the usefulness of adding a low antigen diet to drug therapy.
Methods:
We studied 63 patients randomly allocated to different groups who underwent clinical and laboratory examinations every two months and who received treatment for 12 months or until a significant clinical event appeared.
Results:
Five of 28 patients treated with interferon showed clinical improvement whereas 4 worsened and 7 suffered untoward side effects; seven of 28 patients treated with deflazacort improved, 4 worsened and 4 suffered drug toxicity. Twenty-nine patients were assigned to combined low antigen diet and therapy, among whom 7 did not follow the diet, 5 improved and 2 worsened. Among the 34 patients who were on an unrestrained diet, 5 improved and 7 worsened. None of the treatments proved superior to the others.
Conclusion:
Our results do not confirm the suggestion that interferon should be the primary therapy in the treatment of the cryoglobulinaemic syndrome, and the usefulness of a low antigen diet seems minimal.