View source for Interferon-α

==Administration==
*Type: [[Antiviral]], antineoplastic 
*Dosage Forms:
*Routes of Administration: Injection
*Common Trade Names: 

==Adult Dosing==
*Variable depending on indication and formulation (interferon-α<sub>2</sub>A, -α<sub>2</sub>B, -αn3, -alfacon, peginterferon α-2a, peginterferon α-2b)
*Used to treat:
**Chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C
**Polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytopenia
**Condyloma acuminatum (refractory/recurrent)
**Kaposi's sarcoma, Malignant melanoma (adjunct)
**Carcinoid tumor
**Multiple myeloma, hairy cell leukemia, follicular lymphoma, chronic myelogenous leukemia (Philadelphia chromosome positive)
**Metastatic renal cell carcinoma

==Pediatric Dosing==
*Variable depending on indication and formulation (interferon-α<sub>2</sub>A, -α<sub>2</sub>B, -αn1, -αn3, -alfacon)
*Used to treat:
**chronic myelogenous leukemia (Philadelphia chromosome positive)
**Chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C
**Papillomatosis (adjunct)

==Special Populations==
*[[Drug pregnancy categories|Pregnancy Rating]]: C. When used with ribavirin, may lead to fetal defects or fetal death
*Lactation risk: Infant risk cannot be ruled out
*Renal dosing: IFN-α<sub>2</sub>B and pegylated IFN-α<sub>2</sub>B contraindicated if CrCl <50 
*Hepatic dosing: contraindicated in decompensated liver disease

==Contraindications==
*Allergy to class/drug or inactive ingredients: may contain benzyl peroxide, bovine/ovine Ig, mouse IgG, polymyxin B, neomycin, egg protein
*Autoimmune hepatitis
*Decompensated liver disease
*Hemoglobinopathies (e.g. thalassemia major, sickle cell) when used with ribavirin
*Pregnancy or men with pregnant female partners (in combination with ribavirin)

==Adverse Reactions==
===Serious===
*Dysrhythmia, hypotension, cardiomyopathy, MI
*Raynaud's disease, vasculitis
*Diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, decreased body growth
*GI bleed, ischemic colitis
*Pancreatitis
*Anemia, aplastic anemia, thrombocytopenia, lymphocytopenia, neutropenia
*TTP
*Hepatotoxicity
*Autoimmune disease, lupus 
*Rhabdomyolysis, myositis
*Stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, coma, encephalopathy
*Seizure
*Visual loss, optic neuritis, retinal hemorrhage, retinal artery/vein thrombosis
*Suicidal ideation/behavior, depression, psychotic disorder, agressive behavior
*Obliterative bronchiolitis, pneumonitis, pneumothorax, PE, pulmonary hypertension, sarcoidosis
*Erythroderma, Stevens-Johnson syndrome
*Infection


===Common===
*Alopecia
*Dermatitis, pruritus, dry skin, injection site reaction
*Weight loss
*Nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia, 
*Neutropenia
*Elevated AST/SGOT
*Thyroid dysfunction
*Musculoskeletal pain
*Asthenia, dizziness, fatigue, paresthesias
*Headache
*Depression, anxiety
*Cough dyspnea
*Edema
*Fever, influenza-like illness

==Pharmacology==
*Half-life:  2 to 160h
*Metabolism: Hepatic, renal (IFN-α<sub>2</sub>A)
*Excretion: Renal

==Mechanism of Action==
*Interferons induce various cell activities, such as antiviral activity, suppression of cell proliferation, augmentation of macrophage activity and other immunomodulating effects. 

==Comments==


==See Also==
*[[Antiviral]]
*[[Hepatitis B]], [[Hepatitis C]]

==References==
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[[Category:Pharmacology]]