Lupus: Repository Corticotropin Injection Reduces Disease Activity

Patients with persistently active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) benefit from repository corticotropin injection (RCI). Reporting at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA, Richard Furie of the North Shore LIJ Health System in Lake Success, NY and researchers at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceutical in Maryland offered the findings of an eight-week double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study that looked at SLE patients who were having symptoms despite getting moderate doses of corticosteroids.

Thirty-eight patients got RCI every other day, or daily, or a placebo.

The primary objective was to see what effect RCI had on the hybrid SLE disease activity index and the British Isles lupus assessment group (BILAG) score.

They were also evaluated with the cutaneous lupus erythematosis disease area and severity index (CLASI) and 28-joint count score.

The team reported that RCI treatment "led to significant improvement in key efficacy endpoints compared with placebo including total hSLEDAI and BILAG scores, CLASI activity and tender and swollen joint count.

There were no significant difference in the incidence of treatment-related adverse events in the groups.

"These data demonstrate that RCI reduces disease activity in patients requiring corticosteroids for persistently active SLE," and that condition improves with eight weeks of treatment.