Favourable interactions of cytostatic and steroid drugs in treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (referred to below as SLE) is a disorder associated with formation of immune complexes in the circulatory system and their deposition in the internal organs, as well as in the skin. The disease can appear at any age, but the vast majority of cases are women between 15 and 40 years of age. The paper presents the case of a thirty-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus. She was admitted to hospital because of erythematous and haemorrhagic lesions in the skin of her face, hands and feet and febrile states. SLE was diagnosed in the patient on the basis of criteria established by the American Rheumatological Association. The following abnormalities were observed in the patient: skin lesions of erythematous type on the face, hypersensitivity to UV light, erosions of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, changes in the kidneys confirmed by biopsy, haematological symptoms, immune disorders. Additional criteria to establish the diagnosis included: febrile states. Raynaud's sign, hair loss, presence of immunoglobulin complexes in the skin, decreased complement level. The paper discusses modern therapy of visceral lupus erythematosus, based on corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. The interactions of these drugs were observed in the patient. The woman was treated with combined corticosteroid and cytostatic therapy, which led to the remission of the pathologic process confirmed by the clinical condition of the patient and laboratory tests.
Wiewiórowski
M
M
County Hospital Płock, Division of Rheumatology, 19 Medyczna Str., Poland.
Graczyk
J
J
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003520:Cyclophosphamide