title: Treatment of lupus nephritis with cyclosporine - an outcome analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The optimal therapy for lupus nephritis (LN), including the role of cyclosporine (CsA), still lacks scientifically valid clinical experience. We evaluated the efficacy of CsA in the induction and maintenance treatment of patients with biopsy-proven LN.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 31 patients (25 women, 6 men, mean age 29.5 years) were enrolled in the study. The majority had proliferative LN. The mean follow-up was 85.6 +/- 24.7 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CsA was used as first-line treatment in 38.7% of patients and as second-line treatment in 61.3% of patients. Complete remission was achieved in 93.5% of patients. The relapse rate was 45.2%. The mean disease-free interval was 33 months. At the end of follow-up, a total of 67.9% of the patients were in remission. The treatment led to significant improvement in proteinuria (p = 0.001) and stabilization of renal function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CsA might be an appropriate and a less toxic alternative drug for LN both as a first-choice and rescue therapy.
authors: Nephrology Unit, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. zrihova@centrum.cz
authors: Zuzana
authors: Z
authors: Rihova
authors: Zdenka
authors: Z
authors: Vankova
authors: Dita
authors: D
authors: Maixnerova
authors: Ctibor
authors: C
authors: Dostal
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Jancova
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Honsova
authors: Miroslav
authors: M
authors: Merta
authors: Romana
authors: R
authors: Rysava
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Tesar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine