DHEA for Lupus

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A steroid hormone known as DHEA could help treat women with lupus. A new study finds the drug prasterone, the pharmaceutical form of DHEA, reduces the disease flare-ups associated with lupus and did not have negative side effects.

Lupus is a serious disease of the immune system. The severity of lupus can change over time, but even those with a mild case of the disease can find living with lupus difficult. Patients suffer from fatigue, rash and arthritis. Lupus is also more likely to affect a woman than a man.

DHEA is a precursor to estrogen and androgen. Claims have suggested it can help with a variety of conditions, but few formal studies have been done. Now, prasterone is being developed for the treatment of lupus. The study was led by doctors from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

The research included 381 women with lupus from 27 medical sites in the United States. The participants received prasterone along with their regular lupus treatment or a placebo. Doctors compared how the two groups fared on the drug.

Researchers say 59 percent of the women on the drug saw an improvement or stabilization of their disease compared to 45 percent on the placebo. Study authors point out that the placebo group was taking their standard therapy and that’s why so many also reported improvements. However, the difference between the two groups was considered significant. The group on the drug also experienced fewer disease flare-ups and longer periods of time between them.

Lupus patients have few options to help their painful symptoms. Doctors say this drug could benefit patients who do not want to increase their standard medication that can often bring on negative side effects.

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SOURCE: Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2004;50:2858-2868