Table 6.

Systemic medications

Low-risk patients

Tetracycline (1500–2000 mg/day) or minocycline (50–100 mg/day)

Dapsone: Initial dose of 50mg/day, increase by 25 mg every 7 days to 100–200 mg/day as needed and tolerated

Corticosteroids: Prednisone 0.5–1.0 mg/kg/day

Severe disease

Corticosteroids: Prednisone 1–2 mg/kg/day; or dexamethasone 100 mg/day for 3 days (pulse therapy); or intravenous pulse therapy at 0.5–1.0 g for 3 days

Mycophenolate mofetil: 35–45 mg/kg/day

Azathioprine: initial dose 1–2 mg/kg/day; can be raised to 5 mg/kg/day

Intravenous immunoglobulins: 2 mg/kg/cycle every 4 weeks

Cyclophosphamide: 1–2 mg/kg/d for progressive, organ- or life-threatening patients

Methotrexate: 12.5–22.5 mg/wk

Cyclosporine: 100–250 mg/day

TNFα antagonist (etanercept): 25–50 mg, once or twice a week

CD-20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab): 375 mg/m2 in 4-week intervals or 1000 mg 2 weeks apart for two treatments total