SynthesisPharmacy world & science : PWS2005
Side effects of interferon-alpha therapy.
Synthesis in Pharmacy world & science : PWS, 2005. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 140 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
140 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 281 citations in OpenAlex.
- Interferons in vitreoretinal diseases; a review on their clinical application, and mechanism of action.International ophthalmology · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Trial
- Masitinib for treatment of severely symptomatic indolent systemic mastocytosis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study.Lancet (London, England) · 2017Trial
- Effect of Breathwalk on body composition, metabolic and mood state in chronic hepatitis C patients with insulin resistance syndrome.World journal of gastroenterology · 2007Trial
- Evidence-steered medicine in oncology: network-aware micro-combinations that safeguard standard of care and potentially improve benefit-risk.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026Review
- STING agonist protects against exacerbation of schistosome egg-induced immunopathology.PLoS pathogens · 2026Article
- Integrative modelling of innate immune response dynamics during virus infection.PLoS computational biology · 2026Article
- [Expert recommendations on the management of adverse reactions in pegylated interferon alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B].Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology · 2026Article
- Reactivating exhausted tumor-infiltrating T cells by a bispecific DC-T cell engager in mice.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Interferon-Based Therapeutics in Cancer Therapy: Past, Present, and Future.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Mammalian innate antiviral defenses: beyond interferon.Journal of virology · 2025Review
- Pain in systemic lupus erythematosus: emerging insights and paradigms.Nature reviews. Rheumatology · 2025Review
- An mRNA-based broad-spectrum antiviral inspired by ISG15 deficiency protects against viral infections in vitro and in vivo.Science translational medicine · 2025Article
- IFN-β production promotes metabolic rewiring and protection against oxidative stress in hepatitis delta virus-infected hepatocyte cultures.Cell death & disease · 2025Article
- Exploring the patient experience of chronic hepatitis D (CHD) and assessment of content validity of the Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire and (HQLQv2) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS).Journal of patient-reported outcomes · 2025Review
- Lymph node macrophage-targeted interferon alpha boosts anticancer immune responses by regulating CD169-positive phenotype of macrophages.Molecular cancer · 2025Article
- Impact of Adjuvant Interferon Therapy on Survival Outcomes for Cutaneous Melanoma With Parotid Involvement.The Laryngoscope · 2025Article
- Immunocytokines in cancer immunotherapy: opportunities and challenges.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Review
- Toxicities Associated with Systemic Administration of Interleukin-6 in Wistar Albino Rats.Journal of experimental pharmacology · 2025Article
80 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimInterferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) has been extensively explored for its efficacy in various disease conditions and is currently used as a standard treatment in several of these. Its use is accompanied by a wide variety of possible side effects. These side-effects may hamper reaching and maintaining the dose needed for maximal therapeutic effect while their occurrence can outweigh clinical benefit of IFN-alpha treatment. This review addresses the toxicity profile of IFN-alpha, the presumed pathophysiology of the different side effects and the strategies to handle these.
methodsComputerized searches were used and cross-references of articles and books were checked.
resultsAdverse effects due to IFN-alpha have been described in almost every organ system. Many side-effects are clearly dose-dependent. Taken together, occurrence of flu-like symptoms, hematological toxicity, elevated transaminases, nausea, fatigue, and psychiatric sequelae are the most frequently encountered. Although insight in the mechanisms accounting for IFN-alpha-related toxicities has improved in recent years, much remains to be elucidated. Guidelines on the management of these untoward sequelae are mostly based on clinical experience, while many side-effects can only be adequately handled by dose adjustment or cessation of treatment.
conclusionFurther research on the mechanisms underlying both therapeutic effects and adverse events is warranted. Hopefully, this will lead to better identification of those patients who are likely to benefit from treatment without experiencing severe toxicities.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.