Dexamethasone cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in lichen amyloidosus: a case report.
OBJECTIVE
To clear the itching and lesions of lichen amyloidosus completely, which is a chronic, troublesome disease of the skin with variable results from various therapeutic modalities.


METHODS
Dexamethasone cyclophosphamide pulse (DCP) therapy was given to a 53-year-old man with lichen amyloidosus of 3 months duration. DCP therapy comprises an intravenous infusion of 100 mg dexamethasone in 500 ml of 5% glucose over 1-1(1/2) hours on 3 consecutive days. On day 1, cyclophosphamide 500 mg was also given through the same drip. DCP therapy was repeated at 4-week intervals. In between, the patient received 50 mg of cyclophosphamide orally daily.


RESULTS
The itching stopped completely after five DCP sessions and all the lesions cleared after nine DCP sessions with no relapse during 30 months of follow-up after stopping the treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
DCP therapy is an effective alternative for lichen amyloidosus.
Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, New Delhi, India. drramjigupta@yahoo.co.in
Ramji
R
Gupta
Sarthak
S
Gupta
D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D017512:Lichenoid Eruptions / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D003907:Dexamethasone; D003520:Cyclophosphamide