title: Serum lipoprotein in active rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory arthritides. II. Effects of anti-inflammatory and disease-modifying drug treatment.
abstract: Serum lipids and lipoprotein patterns were prospectively analyzed in 33 previously untreated patients with active chronic inflammatory arthritides during different anti-inflammatory and disease-modifying drug regimens. Before treatment the lipoprotein pattern was characterized by low cholesterol concentrations in all lipoprotein fractions and low triglyceride concentrations in the very-low-density lipoprotein fraction as well as in the high-density lipoprotein fraction. During treatment with prednisolone combined with azathioprine or cyclophosphamide (n = 10), a reduction of the disease activity was achieved and the lipoprotein pattern was normalized; similar results were noted in a small group of patients (n = 4) treated with prednisolone alone while nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy (n = 9) neither significantly affected the lipoprotein pattern nor the inflammatory activity measured by the acute-phase reactants. The long-term treatment with penicillamine (n = 4) and chloroquine (n = 6) induced both a clinical remission of the disease and a reduction of the inflammatory activity. The lipoprotein concentrations started to reverse to the normal values during penicillamine treatment. In contrast, in the chloroquine-treated group the alterations in lipoprotein lipid concentrations were further pronounced, ie, the cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in serum and the very-low-density lipoprotein fraction decreased.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Svenson
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Lithell
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Hällgren
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Vessby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D002738:Chloroquine; D010396:Penicillamine