title: Mycophenolate mofetil treatment in resistant myositis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and tolerability of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in six patients with myositis refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six patients were identified from hospital notes. All had previously failed to respond to other immunosuppressive treatments. Efficacy was measured as changes in muscle strength, creatine kinase (CK) levels and prednisolone dose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the group was 49.8 +/- 9.1 yrs, 6 (100%) were female and Caucasian. Patients had failed to respond to a median of 3 (range 1-3) immunosuppressive drugs. They received MMF for a mean of 22.3 +/- 18.9 months with a mean MMF dose of 1.6 +/- 0.5 g/day. The mean initial prednisolone dose was 13.7 +/- 7.7 mg and the mean follow up dose was 8.5 +/- 4.9 mg/day (P = 0.03). CK levels were reduced from mean 2395 IU/l +/- 1202.8 to 746.6 +/- 555.8 IU/l (P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data demonstrate that MMF may be effective in myositis, previously unresponsive to conventional immunosuppressive drugs.
authors.affiliation: Lupus Research Unit, The Rayne Institute, King's College London School of Medicine at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Hospitals, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK. ceciliapisoni@gmail.com
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Pisoni
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cuadrado
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khamashta
authors.forename: G R V
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: D'Cruz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009220:Myositis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid