Cyclosporine A or Intravenous Cyclophosphamide for Lupus Nephritis: The Cyclofa-Lune Study (CYCLOFA-LUNE)
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Lupus Nephritis
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus focused on measuring SLE, lupus nephritis, cyclosporine A, cyclophosphamide, active proliferative lupus nephritis (class III or IV according to WHO)
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (by meeting 4 criteria of the American College of Rheumatology)
- renal biopsy documenting lupus nephritis according to the classification of the World Health Organization (WHO) or the updated International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) as proliferative glomerulonephritis class III (focal) or IV (diffuse)
clinical activity as defined by presence of at least two of the following:
- abnormal proteinuria (more than 500mg of protein in in a 24-hour urine specimen)
- abnormal microscopic hematuria, or
- C3 hypocomplementemia (the latter two were defined according to the norms in the laboratories of the participating centers)
Exclusion Criteria:
- treatment with cyclophosphamide or cyclosporine A ever before
- treatment with other immunosuppressive drugs (such as azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil) or high dose glucocorticoids (≥ 80mg of prednisone or methylprednisolone) within the last 3 months
- persistent elevation of serum creatinine (≥140 μmol/l)
- pregnancy or lactation
- bone marrow insufficiency with cytopenias not attributable to SLE, and 8severe coexisting conditions, such as infection, liver disease, active peptic ulcer etc.
Sites / Locations
- Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague
- Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Palacky University
- Department of Nephrology, General Teaching Hospital and First faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague
- Institute of Rheumatology
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Cyclosporine A
Cyclophosphamide
Cyclosporine arm (CyA group) consisted of oral cyclosporine A (CyA) 4-5mg/kg/day (given in two divided doses) for 9 months followed by gradually decreasing dose of cyclosporine (3.75-1.25 mg/kg/day) within the next 9 months.
Cyclophosphamide (CPH) therapeutic arm (CPH group) consisted of 8 boluses of intravenous cyclophosphamide (10mg/kg) given within 9 months in subsequently prolonged intervals (2x3weeks, 4x4 weeks, 2x6 weeks) followed by 4-5 oral cyclophosphamide boluses (10mg/d in 6-8 week intervals).