Corticosteroids remain essential for controlling active @entity2132 ( @entity2132 ). However, the optimum dose and administration schedule is unknown. We have reviewed our results in 61 @entity1 with severe refractory @entity2132 who were treated with a high-dose pulse @entity134 regimen (PS) consisting of @entity1667 at 10 mg/kg per day for 4 consecutive days, with subsequent tapering doses. After 4 days, all @entity1 received a course of additional immunosuppressive therapy. The median age of the 56 @entity1 who were evaluable for response was 32 years (range, 0.2-57 years). @entity1 had failed a median of 2 (range, 1-5) treatments prior to the PS. The median follow-up for 45 surviving @entity1 after PS was 1.5 years. The probability of survival at 1 year and 2 years after PS was 88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76%-95%) and 81% (95% CI, 65%-91%), respectively. Twenty-seven @entity1 (48%) showed a major response to PS with substantial improvement of @entity2132 manifestations, including softening of the skin, increased range of motion, and improved performance status; 15 @entity1 (27%) showed a minor response, defined as improvement in some but not all symptoms of @entity2132 . Of the 42 responders, 21 (50%) had progression of their @entity2132 afterwards. The median time to progression was 1.9 years. The probability of progression at 1 and 2 years after PS was 36% (95% CI, 23%-53%) and 54% (95% CI, 38%-71%), respectively. The probability of progression at 1 year was 25% (95% CI, 12%-47%) and 55% (95% CI, 32%-81%) for @entity1 who had major and minor response, respectively (hazard ratio, 2.13). Ten of the 42 responders (24%) were able to discontinue all systemic immunosuppressive treatments. The probability of discontinuation at 1 and 2 years after PS was 9% (95% CI, 3%-25%) and 27% (95% CI, 15%-48%), respectively. The treatment was well tolerated with no serious adverse events. Our results suggest that PS is a well-tolerated regimen for achieving rapid clinical response in the majority of @entity1 with @entity2132 who failed on multiple previous therapies. Further studies are warranted to maintain the efficacy of this regimen by combining with new active agents in @entity2132 .

A high-dose pulse @entity134 regimen for controlling active XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients'] @entity134 :: ('CHEBI:35341', 'Chemical') :: ['steroid'] @entity2132 :: ('MESH:D006086', 'Disease') :: ['cGVHD', 'chronic graft-versus-host disease'] @entity1667 :: ('MESH:D008775', 'Chemical') :: ['methylprednisolone']
@entity2132 :: (MESH:D006086,Disease) :: ['chronic graft-versus-host disease']
