title: Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: our experience.
abstract: Although an incredible amount of time, work and money has been spent in the evaluation of the relative efficacy of anti-rheumatic drugs, no specific resolutive therapy is currently available for rheumatoid arthritis. In these authors' experience early rheumatoid arthritis should be treated with the most powerful non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (indomethacin) and the most tolerated disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (hydroxychloroquine) available. With respect to hydroxychloroquine, auranofin has a comparable efficacy, but the incidence of side effects is significantly higher than with hydroxychloroquine. Sulphasalazine provides very good results. The enthusiasm for this drug is moderated only by the high frequency of patient drop outs. Corticosteroids should be only used in patients with active disease who do not respond to conventional therapy, and/or those with life-threatening complications (i.e., vasculitis).
authors.affiliation: Istituto Policattedra di Patologia, Università degli Studi di Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cervini
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013256:Steroids
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013256:Steroids; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine; D007213:Indomethacin