[Effect of treatment with high doses of 6-methylprednisolone on the activity of anti-DNA antibodies and antiidiotypic activity in the sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

The effect of 6-methylprednisolone therapy at high doses on the time course of autoantibodies to DNA and anti-idiopathic (inhibitory) serum activity was studied in 22 patients suffering from SLE with a high clinicolaboratory activity. Pulse-therapy led to the improved status in 70% of the patients and rapid reduction of clinical and laboratory manifestations of disease (cerebrovasculitis, nephritis, skin involvement, etc.). Changes in clinicolaboratory findings well correlated with the time course of antibodies to DNA and the level of anti-idiopathic activity. This type of therapy was shown to result in a sharp reduction of antibodies to DNA and a parallel increase in idiopathic serum activity. Defining changes in idiopathic serum activity it is possible to determine therapeutic efficacy and to predict a further course of disease.