Efficacy of recombinant human interferon α1b on children with hand, foot and mouth disease of Enterovirus 71 infection

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of recombinant human interferon α1b on children with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection. Methods Total of 240 children with HFMD of EV71 infection including 120 severe cases and 120 mild cases were admitted in Xi’an Children’s Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi’an Jiaotong University from April 2016 to March 2017, and then were divided into interferon treatment group and control group in each severe and mild group by random number table and random number remainder grouping. The clinical symptoms, curative effects and blood routine, cytokines and lymphocyte subsets levels before and after treatment were compared in each severe and mild group, respectively. Results Among the mild cases, the total effective rate of the interferon treatment group (96.7%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (85.0%), with significant difference (χ2 = 4.90, P = 0.03), but antipyretic time, rash subsidence time, oral ulcer subsidence time, normal eating time and hospitalization period of the cases in interferon treatment group were shorter than those of the control group, with significant differences (all P < 0.05). After 4 days of treatment, the levels of white blood cells, lymphocytes, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 in interferon treatment group were significantly lower than those in control group (all P < 0.05), and the levels of CD3+ (t = 5.13, P < 0.001), CD3+CD4+ (t = 2.66, P < 0.001) and CD3+CD8+ (t = 2.13, P < 0.001) were all significantly higher, all with significant differences. Among the severe cases, the comparetive results of the interferon treatment group and the control group were consistent with the mild cases. Conclusions Inhalation of recombinant human interferon α1b could improve the clinical symptoms and the levels of cytokines and lymphocyte subsets of children with HFMD of EV71 infection. Key words: Enterovirus 71; Hand, foot and mouth disease; Recombinant human interferon α1b; Clinical efficacy