[Classification and immunosuppressive therapy of systemic lupus erythematosus: long-term follow-up of 31 patients (author's transl)].

The course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 34 patients receiving prednisone and immunosuppressive (cytotoxic) drugs is described. 31 patients are in continuous ambulatory care, 27 of them 3 to 17 years. Only two were hospitalized for therapeutic purposes: one patient because of exacerbation of lung tuberculosis; the second patient, who discontinued prednisone therapy despite active SLE, because of severe autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. The retrospective analysis of symptoms demonstrated that only 22 of the 31 patients manifested 4 or more of the prelimievious reports. Two patients with severe lupus glomerulonephritis and azotaemia at the time of initial evaluation did not benefit from combined therapy. Nine patients with mesangial and focal glomerulonephritis have normal kidney function up to 12 years after diagnosis (in two cases kidney function improved after therapy).