Biomaterial Database

Sulphasalazine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: relationship of dose and serum levels to efficacy. 1985

T Pullar, and J A Hunter, and H A Capell

Previous studies of sulphasalazine in rheumatoid arthritis have chosen an empirical dose based upon its use in ulcerative colitis. In this study we compare the efficacy and toxicity of two doses (1.5 g/day and 3 g/day, 30 patients per group), and attempt to relate efficacy to serum levels of sulphasalazine and its metabolites. After six months 24 of the low-dose group and 20 of the high-dose group remained on treatment. Greater improvement was seen in the high-dose group. When dose was expressed as mg/kg, the dose efficacy ratio became more apparent and a dose of greater than 40 mg/kg/day appears to confer greater benefit. No relationship was demonstrated between serum levels of sulphasalazine or its measured metabolites, and efficacy. We conclude that response to sulphasalazine in rheumatoid arthritis is dose dependent but does not relate to serum levels of sulphasalazine, sulphapyridine, or acetyl sulphapyridine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009325	Nausea	An unpleasant sensation in the stomach usually accompanied by the urge to vomit. Common causes are early pregnancy, sea and motion sickness, emotional stress, intense pain, food poisoning, and various enteroviruses.
D011346	Prochlorperazine	A phenothiazine antipsychotic used principally in the treatment of NAUSEA; VOMITING; and VERTIGO. It is more likely than CHLORPROMAZINE to cause EXTRAPYRAMIDAL DISORDERS. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p612)	Compazine,Prochlorperazine Edisylate,Prochlorperazine Edisylate Salt,Prochlorperazine Maleate,Edisylate Salt, Prochlorperazine,Edisylate, Prochlorperazine,Maleate, Prochlorperazine,Salt, Prochlorperazine Edisylate
D011897	Random Allocation	A process involving chance used in therapeutic trials or other research endeavor for allocating experimental subjects, human or animal, between treatment and control groups, or among treatment groups. It may also apply to experiments on inanimate objects.	Randomization,Allocation, Random
D001799	Blood Sedimentation	Measurement of rate of settling of ERYTHROCYTES in blood.	Erythrocyte Sedimentation,Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate,Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rates,Rate, Erythrocyte Sedimentation,Rates, Erythrocyte Sedimentation,Sedimentation Rate, Erythrocyte,Sedimentation Rates, Erythrocyte,Sedimentation, Blood,Sedimentation, Erythrocyte
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D004305	Dose-Response Relationship, Drug	The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug.	Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly