DAS28 index calculated with regard for ESR, the number of swollen/ @entity158 joints and evaluation of the @entity1 's condition by VAS is universally used to estimate activity of @entity309 ( @entity309 ). There is a variant of calculation using @entity1851 (CRP) instead of ESR. Our experience indicates that ESR decreases more slowly than CRP during treatment and better reflects dynamics of @entity1 ' condition. From the practical standpoint it is important to estimate activity of @entity309 because therapeutic modalities are chosen based on the DAS28 value. AIM: To study the influence of pharmaceutical form of @entity1499 on the acute-phase response in @entity309 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 32 @entity1 (24 @entity1 , 8 @entity1 ) aged 19-76 (mean 47.5 +/- 28.5) yr with active @entity309 (DAS28 > 3.2) 4-30 months (11.5 +/- 7.4, median 8) in duration. Diagnosis was made using AXR criteria (1987), none of the @entity1 previously received @entity1499 injections. Inclusion criteria: initially high ESR (Westegren, mm/hr) and/or CRP (mg/l measured by a highly sensitive method). All @entity1 were given @entity1499 subcutaneously for 12 weeks as monotherapy (initial dose 10 mg, maximum one 25 mg/week). The cumulative dose was 211.36 +/- 17.2 mg. RESULTS: Side effects did not require withdrawal of @entity1499 . CRP level decreased faster than ERS: a 70% decrease of CRP by week 12 was recorded more frequently than that of ESR. Slow dynamics of the number of swollen joints compared with CRP may be due to the low cumulative dose of @entity1499 . Duration of the disease had no effect on dynamics of acute phase characteristics. CONCLUSION: @entity1499 injections resulted in markedly delayed development of clinical signs of improvement compared with laboratory values. CFP levels fell down much faster than ESR, Remission or low activity of @entity309 (estimated from DAS28) occurred only in 38% of the cases after 3 month monotherapy by @entity1499 injections. It is concluded that efficacy of this drug should be estimated no sooner than 4 months after the onset of the treatment.

[Evaluation of XXXX effect on the acute-phase response in @entity309 after 12-week treatment].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'patients', 'patient', 'men'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['painful'] @entity1499 :: ('MESH:D008727', 'Chemical') :: ['Methotrexate', 'methotrexate'] @entity309 :: ('MESH:D001172', 'Disease') :: ['rheumatoid arthritis', 'RA'] @entity1851 :: ('1401', 'Gene') :: ['C-reactive protein']
@entity1499 :: (MESH:D008727,Chemical) :: ['methotrexate']
