OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sulfasalazine (SSZ) at a dosage of 2,000 mg/day is effective in the treatment of reactive arthritis (ReA) that has been unresponsive to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy. METHODS:One hundred thirty-four patients with ReA who had failed to respond to NSAIDs were recruited from 19 clinics, randomized (double-blind) to receive either SSZ or placebo, and followed up for 36 weeks. The definition of treatment response was based on joint pain/tenderness and swelling scores and physician and patient global assessments. RESULTS: Longitudinal analysis revealed improvement in the patients taking SSZ compared with those taking placebo, which appeared at 4 weeks and continued through the trial (P = 0.02). At the end of treatment, response rates were 62.3% for SSZ treatment compared with 47.7% for placebo treatment. The Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate declined more with SSZ treatment than with placebo (P < 0.0001). Adverse reactions were fewer than expected and were mainly due to nonspecific gastrointestinal complaints. CONCLUSION:SSZ at a dosage of 2,000 mg/day is well tolerated and effective in patients with chronically active ReA.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sulfasalazine (SSZ) at a dosage of 2,000 mg/day is effective in the treatment of reactive arthritis (ReA) that has been unresponsive to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy. METHODS: One hundred thirty-four patients with ReA who had failed to respond to NSAIDs were recruited from 19 clinics, randomized (double-blind) to receive either SSZ or placebo, and followed up for 36 weeks. The definition of treatment response was based on joint pain/tenderness and swelling scores and physician and patient global assessments. RESULTS: Longitudinal analysis revealed improvement in the patients taking SSZ compared with those taking placebo, which appeared at 4 weeks and continued through the trial (P = 0.02). At the end of treatment, response rates were 62.3% for SSZ treatment compared with 47.7% for placebo treatment. The Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate declined more with SSZ treatment than with placebo (P < 0.0001). Adverse reactions were fewer than expected and were mainly due to nonspecific gastrointestinal complaints. CONCLUSION:SSZ at a dosage of 2,000 mg/day is well tolerated and effective in patients with chronically active ReA.
Authors: Cynthia W Ko; Siddharth Singh; Joseph D Feuerstein; Corinna Falck-Ytter; Yngve Falck-Ytter; Raymond K Cross Journal: Gastroenterology Date: 2018-12-18 Impact factor: 22.682
Authors: T Yli-Kerttula; R Luukkainen; U Yli-Kerttula; T Möttönen; M Hakola; M Korpela; M Sanila; J Parviainen; J Uksila; R Vainionpää; A Toivanen Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2000-07 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Terhi M Uotila; Jaakko A Antonen; Antti S Paakkala; Jukka T Mustonen; Markku M Korpela Journal: Clin Rheumatol Date: 2013-04-05 Impact factor: 2.980