title: [Pulse corticoid therapy in rheumatology].
abstract: Infusions of corticosteroids in massive doses (methylprednisolone 1 g/day for 1 to 3 days) are used by nephrologists against acute episodes of rejection of transplanted kidneys and in acute glomeruloneppritis , especially lupic , with threatening renal failure. During the last few years this method has been tried in collagen diseases, notably in acute episodes of systemic lupus erythematosus without renal insufficiency, in rheumatoid arthritis and in ankylosing spondylitis. Published controlled studies concerning these three diseases are too few for firm conclusions to be drawn. The improvement obtained during 3 months on average after 3 g (1 g/day for 3 days) is not observed in all patients and it is not certain that such high doses are innocuous: they do not seem to have been responsible for deaths, as reported in patients with renal transplantation, but undesirable side-effects are observed in one-half of the cases. Close supervision with repeated measurement of blood electrolytes and electrocardiograms is mandatory during and immediately after treatment.
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D003095:Collagen Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D008775:Methylprednisolone
vernacular_title: La corticothérapie en "bolus" en rhumatologie.