Colchicine as monotherapy in phase 1 and for complications
prevention in phase 2 or 3
Based on the large number of data available on the efficacy of
colchicine as monotherapy in the prevention of FMF and in the prevention
of recurrent pericarditis, we believe that the drug can be used at
common doses used for these diseases. In this phase 1, a practical
approach could be to use low initial doses (0.5 mg/day) as a preventive
method to avoid moving to phase two and/or three and at the same time
give the possibility to use this therapy also in combination with
antivirals to decrease the viral load and wait for the immune system
reaction against the infection. Used at standard doses, colchicine shows
a good tolerability profile and no immunosuppressive effect is expected.
This is very important to fight the first phase. In addition, in this
phase, the non-administration of immunosuppressants or glucocorticoids
may be useful to avoid a decrease of the immune system.