Randomized controlled trial of cyclosporine for treatment of perianal fistulas in dogs.

摘要

Of 20 German Shepherd Dogs with naturally developing perianal fistulas, 10 dogs were treated with 5 mg/kg p.o. cyclosporin every 12 h, while the other 10 dogs were given a placebo (control-group). All dogs were also treated with 20 mg/kg cephalexinp.o. every 8 h for 10 days. Overall improvement and change in total surface area of involvement and depth of the deepest fistula were determined after 4 weeks. Thereafter, cyclosporin-group dogs were treated for an additional 12 weeks and the control-group dogs were treated with cyclosporin for 16 weeks. All cyclosporin-group dogs, but none of the control-group dogs subjectively improved after 4 weeks. Mean total surface area and mean fistula depth decreased by 78 and 62%, respectively, in the cyclosporin-group dogs but increased 29 and 11%, respectively, in the control-group dogs. After 16 weeks of cyclosporin treatment, fistulas had healed in 17 (85%) dogs. However, fistulas recurred in 7 of 17 dogs, and additional cyclosporin treatment or anal sacculectomy and surgical excision of fistulas was necessary. It is concluded that cyclosporin was effective in dogs with perianal fistulas. Even in dogs in which fistulas were not completely healed, cyclosporin administration appeared to be beneficial, because the surgical procedures that were required were less extensive than those that would have been necessary if cyclosporin had not been given.