Favorable outcomes with tacrolimus in two patients with refractory interstitial lung disease associated with polymyositis/dermatomyositis.

Abstract

Two cases of progressive interstitial lung disease associated with polymyositis/dermatomyositis are presented. Both patients were refractory to conventional therapy with high-dose corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and intermittent pulse cyclophosphamide, and thus a therapeutic trial of tacrolimus was instituted. Tacrolimus was markedly effective in achieving subjective, laboratory and radiographic improvement in both patients.