Gold salts and somatostatin: a new combined analgesic treatment for psoriatic arthritis.
In a group of patients affected with psoriatic arthritis the effects of the association between gold salts (GS) and somatostatin (SOM), in comparison with two groups treated with SOM and GS respectively, were investigated. Sixty patients with psoriatic arthritis were selected and randomly allocated in three groups of twenty patients each. Group 1 received SOM infusion (250 micrograms/h for 96 h) and was assessed at baseline and 1, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after; Group 2 received intramuscular GS and was assessed at baseline, four months later, and then every month for four months; Group 3 received GS for 8 months; at the fourth month SOM was infused (as in Group 1) and the patients assessed at baseline four months later and then as Group 1. Assessment was made with the Ritchie index, pain scale and morning stiffness evaluation. Growth hormone was assayed in Group 1 every 4 h for 24 h the day before and the day after SOM infusion. The association between GS and SOM demonstrated a particular analgesic activity, effective on joint pain and tenderness, that lasted for all four months of follow-up. SOM showed a good response only after 15 and 30 days, and GS proved to be effective at about the sixth month of treatment. Side effects were reported in Group 1 (abdominal cramps, mild erythrodermia and supraventricular arrhythmia). A growth hormone circadian rhythm was found in psoriatic patients both before and after SOM treatment. The beneficial effect of the SOM/GS combination is demonstrated in psoriatic arthritis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Institute of Clinical Medicine IV, University of Florence, Italy.
M
M
Matucci-Cerinic
A
A
Pignone
T
T
Lotti
G
G
Partsch
R
R
Livi
M
M
Cagnoni
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050607:Organogold Compounds; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D050607:Organogold Compounds; D013004:Somatostatin; D013006:Growth Hormone