An earlier study of the drug confirmed Prestara®’s ability to improve or stabilize clinical outcome and disease symptoms in women with mildto- moderate lupus.
The FDA did not approve DHEA for treating lupus.
In the meantime, patients may get DHEA from a compounding pharmacist.
If you have patients using DHEA, it is important to stress that they purchase a medical-grade product from a pharmacy and have regular check-ups to monitor response to the drug.
DHEA is never used in men with lupus. In postmenopausal women, mammograms and PAP smears must be monitored.