title: Effects of aspirin, naloxone and placebo.
abstract: This study was designed to examine the effects of aspirin, naloxone and placebo treatment on serum beta-endorphin concentration and joint pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ten patients with definite or classical RA were studied. All treatments were administered in a randomized sequence. On each study day, the following measurements were carried out at specified time intervals: serum beta-endorphin concentration, serum salicylate concentration and joint pain score on a visual analogue horizontal scale. We conclude that in patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffering from chronic joint pain, serum beta-endorphin does not appear to play a role in pain relief.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McMaster University Health Science Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mewa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rosenbloom
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Grace
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bellamy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Denko
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Buchanan
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010919:Placebos; D011897:Random Allocation; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D009270:Naloxone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D001241:Aspirin