Experience with Steroid Pulse in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

Steroid pulse was employed in the treatment of three pediatric patients wit juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, dermatiomyositis and Behçet's disease, respectively. Initially, frequent of steriod pulse course were employed, in an attempt to achieve prompt relief of the acute exacerbations of chronic inflammatory disease. Thereafter, M‐PSL pulse at 20–30mg/kg was carried out once every 3–8 weeks for 3–4 years at the outpatient clinic. All patients were able to lead a comfortable life, with minor symptoms, and they had neither cushingoid features nor growth retardation. The hypothalamopituitary‐adrenal system was also retained, and significant immunological abnormalities were not detected in any case, even after prolonged and repeated steroid pulse courses.