Report of a Case of Schnitzler’s Syndrome Treated Successfully with Interferon Alpha 2b

Schnitzler’s syndrome (SS) is characterized by the association of generalized chronic urticaria, osteocondensation and monoclonal IgM gammopathy. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and systemic steroids are the most promising treatments. In our patient, they were ineffective. By contrast, during the follow-up period of 18 months, interferon α2b therapy (IFN-α) relieved the patient from its urticarial lesions and bone pain. IFN-α was tried to be stopped twice: each time, relapse of urticaria was noticed and, each time, the cutaneous lesions disappeared after IFN-α had been reintroduced. Furthermore, our observation supports the idea of the interleukin (IL)-1-mediated pathogenesis of SS as IFN-α induces high levels of IL-1 receptor antagonists. IFN-α could be an alternative treatment in disabling SS resisting other drugs.