Pulse Therapy

Pulse therapy, also called pulse corticosteroid therapy, is the administration of very high, so-called supra-pharmacological doses of a corticosteroid, typically methylprednisolone, given intravenously over a short period rather than as a sustained lower daily dose. Doses commonly range from 10 to 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, or more than 250 milligrams a day and as high as 1 gram a day, with the aim of achieving a fast, strong anti-inflammatory or immune-suppressing effect. The approach was first used to treat acute rejection after kidney transplantation and is now also used for conditions such as steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus and severe vasculitis, though it carries risks including worsened high blood pressure, infection and mood or behavior changes.