SEVERE THORACIC SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

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Abstract
The effects of corticosteroid [prednisolone] administration to 8 patients with severe thoracic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were assessed in a prospective study over a mean period of 26 mo. by serial measurements of respiratory function, ESR, and a clinical score. Initial assessment of respiratory function showed severe restrictive ventilatory defects and impairment of CO uptake not wholly attributable to the small lung volumes. ESR and clinical score showed high correlation coefficients with FEV1 [forced expiratory volume in 1 s] in all patients, with VC [vital capacity] and TLC [total lung capacity] in 7 patients, and with TLCO [CO transfer factor] in 4 patients, indicating that changes of respiratory function were reflecting the activity of the disease. In patients with severe thoracic SLE it is valid to use serial measurements of respiratory function to assess the response to treatment. Pronounced and sustained improvement of respiratory function can be expected [with conventional prednisolone and immuno-suppressive therapy].