Abstract
Corticosteroid is the first choice drug in the treatment of SLE, for which we must give a large dose for a long time, so that side effect is seen frequently. In order to avoid the undesirable side effect of steroid treatment and to prevent suppression of corticotropin release and subsequent adrenal atrophy, we have tried administration of a single dose of an adrenal steroid every 48 hours, termed alternate-day steroid therapy in the patients with SLE. Side effect of alternate-day therapy does not occur but is mild. Almost every patients have been induced to remission in this method, receiving a small amount of steroids as a maintenance dose on alternate days. In the case refractory to corticosteroid therapy, we have used immunosuppressive agents in combination with steroids every 48 hours in the treatment of SLE. Good results were obtained in this method, and we do not have serious side effect.
Recently non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used in the treatment of albuminuria. We have been trying this drugs to treat SLE with renal involvement.
