1. Dexamethasone-cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus
- Author
-
M. K. Singhi, Dilip Kachhawa, G Kalla, Ravindra Dhabhai, and B C Ghiya
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,India ,Dermatology ,Risk Assessment ,Severity of Illness Index ,Dexamethasone ,Pharmacotherapy ,Systemic lupus erythematosus ,Discoid Rash ,Severity of illness ,medicine ,DCP therapy ,lcsh:Dermatology ,Humans ,Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ,Prospective Studies ,Prospective cohort study ,Dexamethasone-cyclophosphamide pulse therapy ,Cyclophosphamide ,Retrospective Studies ,Lupus erythematosus ,Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ,business.industry ,Middle Aged ,lcsh:RL1-803 ,medicine.disease ,Regimen ,Infectious Diseases ,Treatment Outcome ,Pulse Therapy, Drug ,Immunology ,Drug Therapy, Combination ,Female ,medicine.symptom ,Malar rash ,business ,Rheumatism ,Follow-Up Studies - Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Therapy systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been generally discouraging. Methyl-prednisolone pulse therapy has been used for various connective tissue disorders. We used intravenous dexamethasone cyclophosphamide pulse therapy to treat SLE. METHODS: Fourteen patients (10 females and 4 males) between the age of 15-48 years with definite or classical clinical criteria laid by American Rheumatism Association criteria were treated by Dexamethasone-Cyclophosphamide pulse (DCP) therapy at our center. RESULTS: It was possible to induce a complete clinical remission with DCP therapy in most of the patients thereby offering them life free from disease and drugs. The side effects commonly observed with conventional daily dose regimen of corticosteroids were not present or were mild. CONCLUSIONS: Almost all patients had good response after 3-4 pulses to allow them a normal life style. Fever, malar rash and oral ulceration responded early but photosensitivity, discoid rash, alopecia and joint pains took some more time.
- Published
- 2005