A comparison of combination therapy (cyclosporine plus prednisolone) with sole prednisolone therapy in 7 dogs with necrotizing meningoencephalitis.
Administration of immunosuppressive doses of glucocorticosteroids is the traditional primary treatment in necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME) in dogs. However, response is variable and clinical signs often recur quickly with tapering dosage. Prognosis is poor and long-term therapy causes many complications. In the present study, we compared the long-term effects of combination (cyclosporine plus prednisolone) therapy with sole prednisolone therapy in management in dogs with NME. All NME cases in this study were examined with magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and confirmed by histopathologic examination. The mean survival time of combination therapy group was 305.7 +/- 94.7 days. The mean survival time of sole prednisolone therapy group was 58.3 +/- 30.5 days. This case report demonstrates that combination treatment of cyclosporine with prednisolone is more effective in survival time than administration of only prednisolone in NME cases.
Jung
Dong-In
DI
Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
Kang
Byeong-Teck
BT
Park
Chul
C
Yoo
Jong-Hyun
JH
Gu
Su-Hyun
SH
Jeon
Hyo-Won
HW
Kim
Ju-Won
JW
Heo
Ra-Young
RY
Sung
Hyun-Jeong
HJ
Eom
Ki-Dong
KD
Lee
Jong-Hwan
JH
Woo
Eung-Je
EJ
Park
Hee-Myung
HM
D000818:Animals; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004684:Leukoencephalitis, Acute Hemorrhagic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D011239:Prednisolone