POSSIBILITY OF ANTIDESTRUCTIVE EFFECT OF LOW DOSES OF CORTICOSTEROIDS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: PRELIMINARY INFORMATION

Abstract

Summary Aim of study: Control ofpossible antidestructive effect of low doses of corticosteroids (CS) on the background of basic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by methotrexate (MT). Materials and methods: Preliminary results from 38 out of planned 80 patients (all females) aged 23-68 and disease duration from 0.5 to 20 years with reliable RA (ARA criteria, 1987) observed during a year. Exclusion criteria for the study were: ulceral disease ofstomach or duodenum and patients with IV radiological stage of the disease. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 1st group included 19 pts who had MT and CS in dosage of 10 mg/ day and the 2tul -19 pts having as the basic therapy only MT. Taking NSAID was allowed in both groups. To assess therapeutic effect clinical, laboratory> and radiological indices were used. Results: In the 1st group 5 out of 19 pts demonstrated decrease of Larsen index mainly on account of the decrease or disappearing of cystic clearings and of periarticular osteoporosis. In the 2nd group such decrease was observed only in one patient. But Larsen index decrease did not correlate with expected disappearing of erosions, growing of erosions in both groups practically did not differ (2.0 and 2.4 correspondingly). Conclusion: Low doses of corticosteroids taken by RA pts in combination with MT promote the regression of bone-cartilage destruction assessed by Larsen index.