Dexamethasone cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report.

OBJECTIVE To put systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in remission for a prolonged period. METHODS Dexamethasone cyclophosphamide pulse (DCP) therapy was used in a 40-year-old female with SLE of 3 years' duration. DCP therapy comprises an intravenous infusion of 100 mg dexamethasone in 500 ml of 5% glucose over 1-1(1/2) hours on 3 consecutive days along with cyclophosphamide 500 mg in the same drip on the first day. This was repeated at 4-week intervals till 9 months after all the lesions cleared. In between the DCP therapy she was given 50 mg cyclophosphamide orally daily. RESULTS The skin lesions cleared with 11 DCP therapies. There was no relapse 24 months after stopping all treatment. CONCLUSION DCP therapy appears to put SLE into prolonged remission.