Document 0285
 DOCN  M9440285
 TI    Comparison of two glucocorticoid preparations (deflazacort and
       prednisone) in the treatment of immune-mediated diseases.
 DT    9404
 AU    Scudeletti M; Puppo F; Lanza L; Mantovani L; Bosco O; Iudice A; Imbimbo
       B; Indiveri F; Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Methodology,
       University; of Genoa, Italy.
 SO    Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1993;45 Suppl 1:S29-34. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/94148037
 AB    Different glucocorticoid preparations modify the immune reaction in
       different ways. In this paper, the therapeutic efficacy of two
       glucocorticoids, deflazacort (DFZ) and prednisone (PDN), are discussed
       in relation to a group of 30 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
       (n = 12) or rheumatoid arthritis (n = 18). The disease sub-groups were
       divided into two arms, one of which was treated with DFZ and one with
       PDN in a double-blind protocol. The results of this study indicate that
       DFZ and PDN induced a clinical remission within 1 month which was
       maintained until the 6th month. Nevertheless, certain immunological
       modifications, including a significant reduction of the circulating T
       lymphocyte level and of the CD4/CD8 ratio, which was between 1 and 1,5
       during the DFC treatment and between 1 and 2 during the PDN treatment,
       are more pronounced and more stable with DFZ than with PDN. Moreover,
       DFZ has a smaller effect on calcium and glucose metabolism than PDN
       since the serum glucose and calcium level of patients treated with PDN
       increased respectively from 90 up to 130 mg/dl and from 9,5 to 11,5
       mg/dl whereas those of patients treated with DFC remained within the
       normal range. These findings indicate that DFZ may have advantages over
       PDN in the treatment of immune-mediated diseases.
 DE    Adult  Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Steroidal/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Arthritis,
       Rheumatoid/*DRUG THERAPY/IMMUNOLOGY  Comparative Study  CD4-CD8
       Ratio/DRUG EFFECTS  Double-Blind Method  Human  Lupus Erythematosus,
       Systemic/*DRUG THERAPY/IMMUNOLOGY  Middle Age  Prednisone/*THERAPEUTIC
       USE  Pregnenediones/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Remission Induction  CLINICAL
       TRIAL  JOURNAL ARTICLE  RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

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