Double-blind placebo controlled crossover evaluation of levamisole in rheumatoid arthritis.
During levamisole therapy, 14 of 20 patients with previously unresponsive rheumatoid arthritis had significant improvement (P less than 0.05) in clinical measures of disease activity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and rheumatoid factor titer in a 32-week double-blind placebo controlled crossover trial. Levamisole was shown to alter antibody responses to tetanus and typhoid antigens, lymphocyte blastogenesis to phytohemagglutinins, and the number of null cells in peripheral blood. Agranulocytosis and rash resulted in discontinuation of the drug in one patient in each group. Though clearly effective, routine use of levamisole as a disease suppressant in rheumatoid arthritis must await more complete clarification of its association with agranulocytosis.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007978:Levamisole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011859:Radiography
D007136:Immunoglobulins; D010919:Placebos; D007978:Levamisole; D003165:Complement System Proteins