mg/kg/d, (6) Cyclosporin A 5mg/kg/d, orally; and/or (7) Plasma
exchange.
Generally, the target of treatment is to induce remission, then to
maintain it by small doses of either one drug (Prednisolone) or combined
(e.g. Prednisolone and Azathioprine). The more active the disease, the
more aggressive the treatment will be and vice versa.
Beside the specific treatment for SLE, the patient may need other
drugs such as hypotensives for hypertension, diuretics for oedema, and
supportive dialysis for renal failure.
Renal Involvement In Vasculitis
Among different types of vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa (PAN)
and Wegener's Granulomatosis (W.G.) stand as the more common diseases
affecting the kidney. Polyarteritis nodosa is either classic (involving
medium sized-vessels as renal arteries with aneurysm formation) or
microscopic involving small arteries and arterioles presenting with
manifestation of glomerulopathies (mostly PRGN).
The classic type of polyarteritis nodosa may present with ischaemic
renal changes, hypertension, immobilization with renal infarctions or
haemorrhage related to the kidney (haematuria, peri-renal hematoma
resulting from rupture of aneurysm).
Concomitant mesenteric, coronary or cerebral vessels affection could be
detected.