WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Health Alert: Lung drug

Health Alert: Lung drug

(National) Feb. 21, 2007 - Scleroderma is a debilitating autoimmune disease. It can damage the skin, gastrointestinal tract, the heart, kidneys and lungs. There is no cure, but a new study could help some patients breathe easier.

Peggy Hickman, age 46, has scleroderma. The autoimmune disease attacks the connective tissues that support the body.

"What I'm looking for is a pinch of skin. And here there is no pinch," explains Dr. Philip Clements. Tight and swollen skin is the most visible symptom, but the disease can also cause severe scarring in the lungs. 

Said Peggy Hickman, "When I would breathe in, it would be very painful. Almost like, I guess I've never had pneumonia, but I'm told that that's what it usually feels like."

Now researchers at UCLA say cyclophosphamide, a drug typically used to treat cancer, may help slow down lung damage. 

Dr. Clements says, "Our trial was designed to find out, does it really work or not? And the results suggested, yes, there is a mild to modest benefit."

Lung function isn't the only improvement.

"The skin thickening, that many people have, it softens. Their function improves, their hand function, other function improves. They get more energy, they feel less short of breath."

Doctor Clements says the key is to treat patients early in the disease, "We want people to come before they get much scarring. We give them medicines and hopefully this will reduce the likelihood of going on to this degree of scarring."

Cyclophosphamide is strong medicine and can have serious side effects, but to patients with scleroderma, being able to breathe easier is worth the risk. 

The medicine suppresses the immune system. It can lower blood count and cause irritation and bleeding in the bladder. 

Researchers will soon be comparing the drug to two other immunosuppressives.  

Posted 1:52pm by Bryce Mursch