Prevention of joint destruction in antigen-induced arthritis.
In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) erosive joint changes are the dominating cause of chronic disability. In a cohort of patients with RA followed from early stages of the disease, we have observed a much larger prevalence of destructions in hips than in knee joints. The latter were frequently injected with triamcinolone hexacetonide in contrast to the former. In order to elucidate a possible role of local glucocorticoids we studied the antigen-induced arthritis model of Dumonde and Glynn in rabbits which, untreated, caused advanced joint destruction in 3/5 animals, whereas 0/14 animals receiving 3 injections of triamcinolone hexacetonide developed no such changes. The treatment was effective when started up to 2 weeks after induction of the arthritis. It is suggested that locally administered glucocorticoids may prevent or delay large joint destruction in RA.
Wollheim
F A
FA
Department of Rheumatology, Lund University Hospital, Sweden.
Telhag
H
H
Henricsson
A
A
Geborek
P
P
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide; C005900:triamcinolone hexacetonide