39 patients who received pulse methylprednisolone for disease manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus were studied for zero to twenty-four weeks following therapy. Pulse methylprednisolone was given as intravenous infusions of methylprednisolone (10 mg/kg body weight) over one hour each day for three consecutive days. 27 (69.2%) patients were treated for lupus nephritis, 12 (30.8%) patients for non-renal manifestations of lupus. 17 (63.0%) of the renal lupus patients and 7 (58.3%) of the non-renal lupus patients showed clinical response. 11 (28.2%) patients had infections from which 7 (63.6%) died. Overall, 15 (38.5%) patients died. Early deaths (occurring within the first two weeks) were mainly due to disease activity while later deaths were mainly due to infection. In conclusion, the majority of lupus patients appeared to have had a beneficial response to pulse methylprednisolone therapy.