Lupus nephritis occurs in 30-40% of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Focal and diffuse proliferative forms of lupus nephritis are known to progress to chronic renal failure unless treated by immunosuppressive drugs. Cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids are considered to be the standard of care for patients with proliferative lupus nephritis. However, cyclophosphamide may cause a number of toxic effects, such as bone marrow suppression, premature gonadal failure, hemorrhagic cystitis, opportunistic infections, and malignant disease. Hence, efforts are being made to find alternative therapeutic approaches. Cyclosporine is a potent immunosuppressive agent with a more selective mode of action through its unique effect on T cell mediated responses, and is widely used to treat a spectrum of autoimmune and glomerular diseases. Several retrospective series and one randomized trial provided evidence that Cyclosporine A could represent an efficient and safe therapy for proliferative lupus nephritis. In a randomized, multicenter, open-label, controlled trial we compared the efficacy of oral cyclosporine A with intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide to induce durable remission in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis.
Intravenous cyclophosphamide is considered to be the standard of care for treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis. However, its use is limited by potentially severe toxic effects. Cyclosporine A has been suggested to be an efficient and safe treatment alternative to cyclophosphamide. In a randomized, multicenter, open-label, controlled trial the investigators sought to compare the efficacy of oral cyclosporine A with intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide to induce durable remission in patients with lupus nephritis III-IV.