Glucocorticoids in systemic lupus erythematosus and possibilities of. Corticosteroid-sparing therapeutic regimens
Abstract
Glucocorticoids have place in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), despite large number of side effects have important role in therapy. Glucocorticoids are potent anti-inflammatory drugs with very complex mechanism of action on cells metabolismus.
They are used to manage the active SLE in induction therapy, but also to control its flares. Therapy should take the shortest possible time, which is not always possible to achieve.
Side effects of chronic administration of glucocorticoids in patients with SLE can contribute to the progression of certain types of organ damage (glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and others). To minimize the side effects associated with long term use of glucocorticoids was an effort to find the glucocorticoid sparing regimens, which would reduce the administered dose glucocorticoids and shorten the period of administration.
A certain way seems to be the use of biologic drugs affecting B lymphocytes (belimumab, rituximab). Clinical studies of belimumab (BLISS-56 and -72, Observe), a seven-year follow-up of patients with SLE had presented supportive data on their sparing effect.