EXTRACORPOREAL PHOTOCHEMOTHERAPY OF THERAPY-REFRACTORY TARES OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS WITH URTICARIAL VASCULITIS AND PEMPHIGUS FOLIACEUS

Two therapy-refractory cases, that of a female patient with systemic l upus erythematosus with urticarial vasculitis and that of a male patie nt with pemphigus foliaceus, are described. In these patients, severe side effects occurred under immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprin e and prednisolone or massive-dose therapy with cyclophosphamide-dexam ethasone. We therefore decided to add immunomodulatory treatment with extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) to the regimen employed. Under this therapy in both cases the clinical picture improved and immunosup pressive drugs were able to be considerably reduced or stopped. This i s the first report of clinical success with ECP in urticarial vasculit is. We were also able to demonstrate alleviation of the immunologic ab normalities in both patients.