title: A phenylbutazone dose-finding study in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Different doses of phenylbutazone have been compared in a double blind study on 32 patients with rheumatoid arthritis in order to determine the minimum effective dose. Of 8 different dose levels studied (90 mg, 150 mg, 180 mg, 240 mg, 270 mg, 300 mg, 360 mg and 450 mg/day) the most efficacious was found to be 300 mg/day. Doses below this did not produce full benefit; no further improvement occurs with higher doses. Although 7/32 patients developed adverse reactions there was no relationship between these and the plasma levels of either phenylbutazone or oxyphenbutazone. An attempt was made to distinguish 'responders' from 'non-responders'. We found no relationship between response and plasma levels of phenylbutazone or oxyphenbutazone.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010653:Phenylbutazone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010653:Phenylbutazone