HOW DOES AURANOFIN COMPARE WITH METHOTREXATE AND CYCLOSPORINE AS A CORTICOSTEROID-SPARING AGENT IN SEVERE ASTHMA

Despite optimal anti-inflammatory treatment of asthma, including use o f high dosage, high potency inhaled corticosteroids, a subset of corti costeroid-dependent patients require substantial amounts of daily syst emic corticosteroids for adequate control. Several anti-inflammatory m odulating agents (auranofin, methotrexate and cyclosporin) have been e valuated for their corticosteroid-sparing properties under such circum stances. This analysis was gleaned primarily from randomised, double-b lind, placebo-controlled trials of these agents. Global assessment of corticosteroid-sparing efficacy of these drugs revealed an advantage o f auranofin over both methotrexate and cyclosporin. In addition, the c omparative adverse event profiles of these drugs indicated that aurano fin exhibited milder, more tolerable adverse effects. Therefore, auran ofin presents a better risk : benefit option in initial attempts to we an dependent patients from corticosteroids.