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Rhabdomyolysis during interferon-β 1a treatment
  1. J D Lünemann1,
  2. N Kassim1,
  3. R Zschenderlein1,
  4. F Zipp1,
  5. B Schwarzenberger2
  1. 1Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Charité University Hospital, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany
  2. 2Department of Nephrology, Reinickendorf Hospital, Am Nordgraben 2, 13509 Berlin, Germany
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr F Zipp;
    frauke.zipp{at}charite.de

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.72.2.274

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    Interferon-β (IFN-β) is one of the most effective currently available treatments for multiple sclerosis. It has also been used in the therapy of viral diseases and certain malignancies, as has the other type I interferon IFN-α. Most frequent side effects are transient flu-like symptoms such as myalgia, chills, and headaches. We describe a patient with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who developed acute rhabdomyolysis during IFN-β 1a treatment. After the medication was discontinued, the patient improved rapidly.

    A 39 year old man with a history of first symptoms in April 2000 was diagnosed as having relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, supported by the demonstration of oligoclonal IgG bands in the CSF but not in the blood, and multiple white matter lesions in periventricular localisations on MRI. Treatment with 22 μg IFN-β 1a (Rebif™, Serono, Unterschleissheim, Germany) by subcutaneous injection three times weekly was initiated in October 2000 after three exacerbations with predominant sensory disturbances leading to an expanded disability status score (EDSS) of 1.5. To alleviate potential flu-like symptoms due to …

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