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Lupus and CF – Quensyl®?
- Question
- Dear expert team,
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. However, it is not yet clear whether it is MS (multiple sclerosis) or SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus).
My symptoms – persistent joint and muscle pain emerging out of the blue – are probably more in line with lupus, which is why my rheumatologist recommends long-term therapy with Quensyl® (hydroxychloroquine sulfate). I have considerable doubts because of its side effects, especially given that one can probably tell whether there are any positive effects at all only after about six months.
Do you have any experience with long-term treatment of an SLE with Quensyl® in CF? If so, could you perhaps give me the name of the clinic so that my doctor or I could talk to the doctor there about the experience?
Can you recommend an expert in CF/immunology/rheumatology?
Many thanks! - Answer
- Dear questioner,
Quensyl®, with hydroxychloroquine sulfate as its active ingredient, is used for therapy in both rheumatoid arthritis (chronic polyarthritis) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is also used successfully for malaria prophylaxis and therapy. Generally, there are no objections to a therapy with Quensyl® for individuals who also have CF. Unfortunately, we do not have any experience with its therapeutic effects in CF patients who also have another disease such as SLE or rheumatoid arthritis. In individual cases, though, we do see CF patients who have received Quensil® for malaria prophylaxis and have tolerated it well. This could possibly reduce your fear of the drug a bit. At any rate, if you have a medical condition related to the diagnosis of an autoimmune disease, an adequate therapy should be initiated.
Unfortunately, we are unable to name an expert for “CF/immunology/rheumatology,” but we recommend seeing a doctor experienced in the field of autoimmune diseases, who does not necessarily have to have a lot of experience with CF, but who is ready to arrange the recommended therapy in consultation with your CF doctor and to follow your further course of illness.
I hope I could help you with this information.
Kind regards
Dr. Christina Smaczny - 08.05.2012
