21:T545,• Cyclosporine is known to be effective in the treatment of psoriasis. In this study, we have used oral cyclosporine (6 mg/kg per day) given for 5 to 30 weeks to 24 patients for the treatment of 12 different dermatoses. Patients with the following diseases demonstrated a marked response or total clearing: 1 patient each with pyoderma gangrenosum, pityriasis lichenoides chronica, and psoriasis of the acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau type. Moderate to marked response occurred in both patients with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and the patient with hidradenitis suppurativa. Minimal to moderate responses were obtained in both patients with granuloma annulare, 1 of 2 with acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau, both patients with Darier's disease, and 1 of 6 patients with vitiligo. Little or no response was noted in both patients with sarcoidosis, all 3 patients with pityriasis rubra pilaris, 5 of 6 patients with vitiligo, 1 patient with pemphigus foliaceous, and 1 with pemphigus vulgaris. Clinical side effects were mild and transient and included dysesthesia, fatigue, hypertrichosis, nausea, and flushing. The most frequent clinically significant abnormalities were hypertension and renal dysfunction, with all factors normalizing within 1 month of discontinuation of cyclosporine therapy. (Arch Dermatol. 1990;126:339-350)22:T47c,POLYMYOSITIS is an inflammatory disease of striated muscle, which has been attributed to a vasculopathy. Although the pathogenesis is unknown, studies suggest that an immune mechanism may contribute to this disorder. The evidence consists of the presence of tissue-bound immunoglobulins and complement within blood vessels of involved muscle¹and the in vitro cytotoxic effect of patients' lymphocytes on muscle cells grown in culture.^2,3 The mainstay of therapy in polymyositis is corticosteroids. This treatment results in improvement of prognosis and life-style in most patients with this disorder.^4-10However, some individuals are refractory to steroid therapy or demonstrate only a partial response.^11,12In other patients, short- or long-term toxic reactions to corticosteroids force discontinuation of the drug. Such patients who are resistant to or intolerant of corticosteroids have been treated with immunosuppressive agents, including methotrexate sodium,^13-17azathioprine sodium,^18-20cyclophosphamide,^17,21,22and cyclosporine.²³ Although patients may

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