Toxicity of sulfasalazine in systemic juvenile chronic arthritis.

The use of sulfasalazine as a long acting anti-rheumatic drug in patients with systemic JCA was studied in an open trial. Severe toxic side-effects in three of the four patients entered required discontinuation of the trial. These adverse effects included high fevers and a generalised exanthem. The symptoms were considered to represent an allergic reaction, most likely to the sulfa component of sulfasalazine. After resolution of these episodes the joint disease was suppressed for several weeks in these three children.