Methyl prednisolone pulse therapy in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Twenty patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were treated with methyl prednisolone pulse therapy (MPPT) and followed up for up to 24 weeks (mean 18 weeks). Beneficial effects of MPPT were observed principally on arthralgia, pleuritic pain, vasculitic skin rash, pyrexia, and lymphadenopathy. The serological tests showing the most improvement were ds DNA binding and the serum C3 level. MPPT was found to be both safe and easy to administer. It may be of value in treating patients with SLE whose disease is not controlled by moderate doses of corticosteroids and may also enable the dose of maintenance corticosteroids to be reduced appreciably.