As with other inflammatory rheumatic diseases, cortisone is needed during acute disease activity and especially when internal organs are involved. The dose and duration of cortisone treatment depend on the severity of the disease and the activity of the inflammation.
For long-term treatment of mild disease activity, the medicines Resochin (chloroquine) and Quensyl (hydroxychloroquine) are available. If organs are involved, especially the kidneys (the severity of kidney involvement usually has to be determined by a kidney biopsy), azathioprine (e.g. Imurek) is often used.
More severe cases are treated temporarily with cyclophosphamide (e.g. Endoxan), given as infusions every 4 weeks, initially over 10 to 12 weeks. This treatment can, for example, be given as an outpatient in our practice. Cyclophosphamide is occasionally also given as tablets, although the higher rate of side effects must be taken into account. Promising results have been achieved with mycophenolate (CellCept). This medicine is currently approved for the treatment of SLE with proven kidney involvement.
In special cases, treatment with biologics such as rituximab is also tried.