[Study on bolus cyclosphamide treatment for 64 cases of lupus nephritis].
OBJECTIVE
To report on the dosing, efficacy and side-effects of bolus cyclosphamide treatment for lupus nephritis (LN).


METHODS
64 consecutive cases of LN with 10 or more erythrocytes per high-power field, proteinuria (> 1 g of protein per day) and serum creatinine increased (> 133 mumol/L) were treated by bolus therapy with cyclophosphamide (CTX) given monthly for 6 months and then quarterly for 18 months.


RESULTS
49 patients had renal remission (defined as < 10 erythrocytes per high-power field, absence of cellular casts, excretion of < 1 g of protein per day and normal serum creatinine). The mean of doses was 1.1 g for each time (0.6-1.6 g), the mean of times of bolus CTX needed was 3.6 (1-8 times). The adverse events were amenorrhea (in 41% female patients), herpes zoster (in 13% patients) and hemorrhagic cystitis (in 1 patient).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that monthly bolus CTX therapy is effective and safe for patients with LN. Its adverse effect is relatively not a serious problem.
Department of Clinical Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, WCUMS, Chengdu 610041, China.
G
G
Liu
Y
Y
Chen
C
C
Zuo
Q
Q
Xie
Z
Z
Wang
L
L
Wang
M
M
Lin
D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003520:Cyclophosphamide