TREATMENT OF STEROID DEPENDENT ASTHMATICS WITH LOW DOSES OF CYCLOSPORINE
Abstract
Background. Asthmatics with glucocorticoid dependent asthma should be treated with systemic steroids. Cyclosporine is in many ways a potent anti-inflammatory drug. Cyclosporine is sometimes very effective in treating asthmatics and could allow us to lower the dose of oral steroid. In some randomized, double blind studies steroid dependent asthmatics were treated 12–36 weeks with cyclosporine in dose 5 mg/kg/day. We tried cyclosporine in steroid dependent asthmatics in shorter course and in lower dose.
Methods. 13 steroid dependent asthmatics were in the first four weeks of the study treated by their own drugs (phase 1). Then they were for the next four weeks (phase 2) randomly and in double blind fashion treated with either cyclosporine (mean 1.7 mg/kg/day, SD 0.5, 6 patients – group 1) or by identical placebo (7 patients – group 2). To the patients in the group 2 serum concentration of cyclosporine was measured on the eight day of the study.
Results. Morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) raised significantly in group 1 (200 L/sec to 247 L/sec or for 23%). Patients in group1 had significantly less episodes of nocturnal asthma (2.2 episodes/night to 1.5 episodes/night or for 32%). In group 2 were not found any changes between first phase and second phase of the study. Steroid consumption did not change in any group. Mean serum concentration of cyclosporine in patients of group1 was 35.7 µg/L. We did not find any adverse effects of cyclosporine or placebo.
Conclusions. Cyclosporine could have dangerous side effects, which are dependent on its serum concentration. So it should be administered in the lowest possible dose and for the most possible short period. In our study it was found that it is possible to successfully treat steroid dependent asthmatics with lower daily dose and for shorter time, than was found in other similar studies.
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