Methotrexate and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Howard Fuchs
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1991)

Letters1 November 1991Methotrexate and Rheumatoid ArthritisHoward Fuchs, MDHoward Fuchs, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-115-9-745 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors:In their recent study, Jeurissen and colleagues (1) compared the efficacy of methotrexate with that of azathioprine in the treatment of patients with well-established rheumatoid arthritis. These investigators should be applauded for their study design, which allowed the discrimination of radiologic change over time. In this study, investigators obtained a radiograph before therapy, one at 6 months, and then every 6 to 12 months thereafter. Scott and colleagues (2) have shown that even when inflammation is adequately controlled (as measured by reduction in both the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the number of tender joints), radiologic damage will...References1. JeurissenBoerboomsvan de PutteDoesburgLemmens MALWA. Influence of methotrexate and azathioprine on radiologic progression in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Intern Med. 1991;114:999-1004. LinkGoogle Scholar2. ScottDawesFowlerGrindulisShadforthBacon DPPKMP. Anti-rheumatic drugs and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis. QJ Med. 1985;54:49-59. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. IanuzziDawsonZeinKushner LNNI. Does drug therapy slow radiographic deterioration in rheumatoid arthritis? New Engl J Med 1983;309:1023-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. NordstromWestAndersenSharp DSPJ. Pulse methotrexate therapy in rheumatoid arthritis: a controlled prospective roentgenographic study. Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:797-801. LinkGoogle Scholar5. van der Heijdevan't Hofvan RielTheunisseLubbertsvan Leeuwen DMPLEM. Judging disease activity in clinical practice in rheumatoid arthritis: first step in the development of a disease activity score. Ann Rheum Dis. 1990;49:916-20. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. JeurissenBoerboomsvan de PutteDoesburgLemmens MALWA. Influence of methotrexate and azathioprine on radiologic progression in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Intern Med. 1991;114:999-1004. LinkGoogle Scholar1. JeurissenBoerboomsvan de PutteDoesburgLemmens MALWA. Influence of methotrexate and azathioprine on radiologic progression in rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, double-blind study. Ann Intern Med. 1991;114:999-1004. LinkGoogle Scholar2. SommerZeger AS. On estimating efficacy from clinical trials. Stat Med. 1991;10:45-52. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. IannuzziDawsonZeinKushner LNNI. Does drug therapy slow radiographic deterioration in rheumatoid arthritis? N Engl J Med. 1983;309:1023-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. FriesBlochSharp JDJ. Assessment of radiologic progression in rheumatoid arthritis. Arth Rheum. 1986;29:1-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. SharpWolfeMitchellBloch JFDD. The Progression of Erosion and Joint Space Narrowing Scores in Rheumatoid Arthritis During the First Twenty-Five Years of Disease. Arth Rheum 1991;34:660-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. JeurissenBoerboomsvan de PutteDoesburgLemmens MALWA. Influence of methotrexate and azathioprine on radiologic progression in rheumatoid arthritis. A randomized, double-blind study. Ann Intern Med. 1991;114:999-1004. LinkGoogle Scholar2. JeurissenBoerboomsvan de PutteDoesburgMulderRasker MALWJJ. Methotrexate versus azathioprine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. A forty-eight-week randomized, double blind trial. Arthritis Rheum. 1991;34:961-72. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Gould A. A new approach to the analysis of clinical drug trials with withdrawals. Biometrics. 1980;36:721-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. SommerZeger AS. On estimating efficacy from clinical trials. Stat Med. 1991;10:45-52. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. EfronFeldman ED. Compliance as an explanatory variable in clinical trials. J Am Stat Ass. 1991;86:9-17. CrossrefGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 November 1991Volume 115, Issue 9Page: 745-747KeywordsErythrocyte sedimentation rateInflammationMethotrexatePatientsRheumatoid arthritis Issue Published: 1 November 1991 PDF downloadLoading ...