title: Dose tapering for ciclosporin in cats with nonflea-induced hypersensitivity dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little information is available on the ciclosporin dose-tapering regimen and clinical response in the treatment of feline hypersensitivity dermatitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test a dose-tapering regimen and assess efficacy and clinical safety for up to 18 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight client-owned cats with feline hypersensitivity dermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats that received either a placebo or ciclosporin at 2.5 mg/kg or 7 mg/kg daily for 6 weeks were given 7 mg/kg ciclosporin daily for 4 weeks. Depending on the clinical response, the dose was tapered from daily to every other day over the next 4 weeks and further to twice a week for an additional 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After all cats received 7 mg/kg for 4 weeks, the dose could be tapered to every other day for the next 4 weeks in 70% of cats remaining in the study. During the next 4 weeks, 57, 15 and 22% of cats remaining in the study could be treated at twice a week, every other day or daily, respectively. After the first 4 weeks, the mean lesion score and owner-assessed pruritus improved over baseline by 69 and 61%, respectively, and remained stable during the following 8 weeks. Approximately 65% of the cats in the study were reported to have an adverse event (AE), very often mild and resolving spontaneously. The most frequent AEs were gastrointestinal and included primarily vomiting and diarrhoea. Eighty per cent of AEs occurred when cats were on daily treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that the induction dose of 7 mg/kg ciclosporin can be tapered as soon as 4 weeks without deterioration of the clinical response. Establishment of the lowest effective dosing regimen of ciclosporin reduced the frequency of AEs.
authors.affiliation: Novartis Animal Health, Schwarzwaldallee 214, Basel, Switzerland. jean.steffan@novartis.com
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steffan
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prélaud
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Forsythe
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seewald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine