Cyclosporine treatment for polymyositis/dermatomyositis: is it possible to rescue the deteriorating cases with interstitial pneumonitis?

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are inflammatory muscular diseases of unknown etiology which have interstitial pneumonitis as a serious complication. From 1987 to 1994, we used cyclosporine to treat 14 polymyositis/dermatomyositis patients (8 with and 6 without interstitial pneumonitis). In combination with prednisolone, cyclosporine was either added to or substituted for conventional cytotoxic drugs (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide and methotrexate). Cyclosporine was effective against both myositis and interstitial pneumonitis when used early in the course of the disease.