Monthly intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy in Wegener's granulomatosis

Abstract

Objective: To study the long term effects of monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy in Wegener's granulomatosis.

Methods: Fourteen consecutive patients with active Wegener's granulomatos treated with a first-line combination of high-dose prednisone and monthly intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide were retrospectively studied.

Results: One patient died from septicemia complicating severe leukopenia after the first pulse. At 8 months after instituting intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy, failure was observed in 6 other patients. Between month 16 and 18, 2 other patients relapsed when the time between 2 pulses was lengthened. Five patients developed cyclophosphamide-related side-effects: infection (n = 2), amenorrhea (n = 1), alopecia (n = 2) and vomiting (n = 2). Except for one fatal infection, no major side-effect of intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy was observed. At the end of the study, all patients were off intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy with more than 6 months of followup. The 6 responders were in remission on low-dose prednisone or without treatment.

Conclusion: A combination of high-dose prednisone and intravenous cyclophosphamide may achieve long-term remission in 42% of patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. Responders to intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy had less extensive disease than non-responders.