Immunologic Diseases Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. clangford@niaid.nih.gov
Wegener's granulomatosis is a complex multisystem disease that can be associated with morbidity and mortality. The introduction of cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids brought about the potential for long-term survival and provided the opportunity and impetus to explore treatment options that can reduce the toxicity of therapy and lessen the likelihood of relapse. With the growth of knowledge regarding disease pathophysiology and the increasing ability to selectively target the immune system, the potential options for therapeutic investigation have continued to expand. Careful study of new agents through rigorously designed trials is essential to answering questions of safety and efficacy in Wegener's granulomatosis.