[Treatment of neuro-immunologic diseases by immunosuppressants]

Immunosuppressive treatments of neuro-immunologic diseases: myasthenia gravis, polymyositis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and multiple sclerosis were reviewed. The treatments need to be planned in terms of 2-5 years. Cautions must be taken for adverse effects of short and long terms. Corticosteroids were the most well used and were studied medication of the first choice among immunosuppressants in these diseases except for CIDP in which large amounts of IV-Ig or plasmapheresis are the first choice. Pulse treatment of very high doses of steroids are used in refractory or severe cases. As for immunosuppressants, in polymyositis iv MTX is the choice since its response is quicker than AZ. CsA is used in cases with pneumonitis. In MS, pulse treatments of steroids followed by gradual decreasing doses of steroids are used for 2-3 months in each relapse. Recently, IFN-alpha 2a and IFN-beta significantly reduced the number of relapses and improved MRI findings. Chronic applications of AZ, CY, Cs or MTX have possibilities of reducing relapses, and new drugs like mizoribine and mitoxantrone etc. are in trials.