title: Whole body elemental composition during drug treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary study.
abstract: Thirty-two female patients with rheumatoid arthritis were divided into 3 groups and treated for 6 months with prednisolone, depot tetracosactrin, or indomethacin. Their whole body content of calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen was measured before and after 3 and 6 months' treatment by in-vivo neutron activation analysis. No significant changes in these body elements were observed as a result of the treatments. The average amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen were lower than normal in these patients, a finding consistent with the frequent observation of osteoporosis and muscle wasting in rheumatoid arthritis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D003366:Cosyntropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014915:Whole-Body Counting
chemical_list: D003366:Cosyntropin; D010758:Phosphorus; D011239:Prednisolone; D009584:Nitrogen; D002118:Calcium; D007213:Indomethacin