The sequence of the 6408 nucleotides of bacteriophage fd DNA has been determined. This allows to deduce the exact organisation of the filamentous phage genome and provides easy access to DNA segments of known structure and function.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease with progressive and devastating deterioration of lung function and a fatal prognosis, despite aggressive therapeutic attempts, which, in the majority of cases are futile.Recently, a preliminary study of long-term treatment with interferon (IFN)‐γ1band low-dose prednisolone in patients with IPF suggested that IFN‐γ1btreatment may improve lung function parameters of patients with IPF. Ever since, specialists in respiratory medicine who treat patients with IPF, are called by patients demanding treatment with IFN‐γ1b. Therefore, the authors here present another prospective investigation of IFN‐γ1bin five patients with IPF.According to the previously published design, patients received 200 µg IFN‐γ1bsubcutaneously three-times per week and 10 mg prednisolone orally for 12 months. Two patients stopped IFN‐γ1btreatment after 4 months due to side-effects and further lung function deterioration and one patient died 3 months after commencement of therapy. In total, pulmonary function improved in only one patient during IFN‐γ1btreatment, while four patients deteriorated.To conclude, this small series of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cases treated with interferon‐γ1band corticosteroids does not support previous data that this treatment improves pulmonary function or alters the natural course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, in the authors' experience, side-effects of interferon‐γ1btreatment can significantly reduce patients' quality of life.
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