Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by DAVIS, M. J.
Right arrow Articles by SHADFORTH, M. F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by DAVIS, M. J.
Right arrow Articles by SHADFORTH, M. F.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1991 British Society for Rheumatology

other

SHOULD DISEASE-MODIFYING AGENTS BE USED IN MILD RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS?

M. J. DAVIS, P. T. DAWES, P. D. FOWLER, S. CLARKE, J. FISHER and M. F. SHADFORTH

Staffordshire Rheumatology Centre Stoke-on-Trent

Correspondence to: Correspondence to Dr M. Davis, Staffordshire Rheumatology Centre, Haywood Hospital, High Lane, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 7AG

A 12-month double-blind controlled study comparing hydroxychloroquine 400 mg daily with placebo in 104 patients with mild RA was conducted to see whether patients with mild rheumatoid arthritis (RA) benefit from treatment with diseasemodifying agents. Mild RA was defined as synovitis limited to the hands and feet, an ESR <30 mm/h and C-reactive protein <20 mg/l, a situation where accepted clinical practice is to use a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent alone. By 6 months, the improvement of clinical and laboratory parameters in the hydroxychloroquine treated patients was significant compared with pretreatment levels and significantly greater than the control group. This improvement was maintained at 12 months. In addition, fewer patients withdrew through lack of efficacy, eight on hydroxychloroquine versus 18 on placebo. The implications of treating this well defined group of patients is discussed.

KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid arthritis, Mild disease, Hydroxychloroquine, Placebo-controlled trial


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Rheumatology (Oxford)Home page
G. Jones, J. Halbert, M. Crotty, E. M. Shanahan, M. Batterham, and M. Ahern
The effect of treatment on radiological progression in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials
Rheumatology, January 1, 2003; 42(1): 6 - 13.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann Rheum DisHome page
P Emery, F C Breedveld, M Dougados, J R Kalden, M H Schiff, and J S Smolen
Early referral recommendation for newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis: evidence based development of a clinical guide
Ann Rheum Dis, April 1, 2002; 61(4): 290 - 297.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Rheumatology (Oxford)Home page
M. A. Quinn, P. G. Conaghan, and P. Emery
The therapeutic approach of early intervention for rheumatoid arthritis: what is the evidence?
Rheumatology, November 1, 2001; 40(11): 1211 - 1220.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.