[The risk of sustained amenorrhea in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus receiving intermittent pulse cyclophosphamide therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the risk of sustained amenorrhea in premenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) receiving intermittent pulse cyclophosphamide (CTX) therapy.


METHODS
Prospectively comparing the amenorrhea rate of 51 cases receiving intermittent pulse cyclophosphamide therapy versus that of 22 cases receiving intermittent pulse methylprednisolone (MP) therapy.


RESULTS
The amenorrhea rate was higher in the CTX group (19.6%) than in the MP group (P = 0.025). In the CTX group, the amenorrhea rate of patients aged over 30 was higher than that of patients aged 30 or below 30 (P = 0.0018).


CONCLUSIONS
Pulse CTX therapy in fertile women with SLE is associated with increased rate of sustained amenorrhea, and the older the patient is, the higher risk for sustained amenorrhea the patient runs.
Liu
G
G
Department of Clinical Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, WCUMS, Chengdu 610041, China.
Chen
Y
Y
Wang
L
L
Zuo
C
C
Xie
Q
Q
Wang
Z
Z
Lin
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017697:Premenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008775:Methylprednisolone