title: A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of methylprednisolone pulse therapy in active rheumatoid disease.
abstract: To confirm the findings of uncontrolled trials that methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPPT) is a safe treatment for active rheumatoid disease, a double-blind trial was conducted in which 20 patients with active rheumatoid disease were randomly allocated to receive an infusion of either 1 g methylprednisolone or placebo. Methylprednisolone produced significant improvement in all clinical variables measured, a benefit which was sustained for at least 6 weeks. The placebo produced only transient improvement in some of the clinical variables measured. when the 10 placebo groups patients were later given an infusion of 1 g methylprednisolone, they too showed significant clinical benefit. The methylprednisolone also gave rise to improvements in some haematological and biochemical variables.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008776:Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D008776:Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate; D008775:Methylprednisolone