title: Therapeutic efficacy of oral low-dose cyclosporin A in severe psoriatic arthritis.
abstract: Six male patients with severe psoriatic arthritis (PA) unresponsive to various topical and systemic therapies have been treated with oral cyclosporin A (CyA; Sandimmun) solution at daily doses ranging usually from 1.5 to 5.0 mg/kg. In 1 case the dose had to be increased to 7 mg/kg/day. At initiation of CyA therapy skin involvement was between 40 and 90% of total body surface. Initiation of CyA therapy resulted in marked improvement of skin lesions within 2-7 weeks accompanied by impressive relief from arthralgias and improvement of joint function. The requirement for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was markedly reduced in all cases. All patients in whom CyA therapy was continued remained clinically stable for several months (follow-up period 2-7 months). Although mild to moderate relapses occurred, rebound phenomena were not observed after discontinuation of treatment. Side effects which comprised serum creatinine increases in 3 out of 6 cases were reversed by adjustment of CyA dosage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, FRG.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: R U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruzicka
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine