The effect of Goeckerman therapy on interferon in serum and suction blister fluid from patients with psoriasis

SUMMARY An infectivity inhibition micromethod was used to detect interferon (IFN) in sera and suction blister fluids from 35 patients with untreated psoriasis vulgaris. IFN (≥16 units/ml) was detected in 56% of the sera (median 25 units/ml), in 77% of the suction blister fluids from lesional skin (median 35 units/ml) and 33% of the blister fluids from unaffected skin (median 10 units/ml). IFN levels were significantly higher in blister fluids from lesional skin than from unaffected skin (P