The effect of bemetil on the production of DNA antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

The levels of autoantibodies against DNA in blood serum and severity of the disease were evaluated prior to, during, and after 8-week treatment of patients suffering from lupus erythematosus systemicus (LES) with prednisolonum (daily dose of 5-60 mg/kg, 15 patient) and with prednisolonum in combination with cyclophosphane (CP) (a total dose of 2-4 mg/kg per os. 15 patients), or bemithyl doses of 500-750 mg/day per os (15 patients) or bemithyl in combination with CP (the same doses, 16 patients). It was shown that introduction of bemithyl into LES treatment schedule significantly lowered the level of autoantibodies against DNA evaluated in immunoassay and reduced LES severity assessed using standard SLEDAI-1 and ECLAM scales.