Treatment of Peyronie's disease with local interferon-alpha 2b.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous interferon-alpha 2b in the treatment of Peyronie's disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three men (mean age 53 years, range 27-69) received interferon-alpha 2b in an unrandomized prospective study. The drug was injected subcutaneously adjacent to the plaque three times a week for 3 weeks at a dose of 2 x 106 IU. The effect of interferon-alpha 2b on the extent of penile deviation, plaque size and erectile pain were investigated, and the drug's side-effects were documented. The mean (range) follow-up was 22 (4-48) months

RESULTS: All patients had pain relief and 13 of 19 with pain before treatment became pain-free. The penile deviation was reduced in one patient; the deviation increased despite therapy in one patient and remained stable in the others. Plaque size remained unchanged in all patients. Impaired sexual function was improved in seven (30%) of the patients. Side-effects (myalgia, fever) occurred after only four of 207 injections (2%).

CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous interferon-alpha 2b is safe, well tolerated and relieves pain. However, with no objective reduction in penile deviation and plaque size, the outcome of interferon-alpha 2b therapy is generally unconvincing and the drug cannot be recommended for the conservative treatment of Peyronie's disease.