title: Antimicrobial therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: New interest in the use of antibiotics in the treatment of arthritis was stimulated by two factors: (1) observations that, in some forms of chronic arthritis, microbial antigens persist in the synovial membrane, and (2) the increasing knowledge of the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of antibiotics. Recently, several published controlled studies reported a beneficial effect of tetracyclines on RA and reactive arthritis. Whether the anti-arthritic activity of the tetracyclines investigated is mediated by the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory properties remains to be determined. It may be concluded from these studies that tetracyclines have a beneficial effect on RA, especially when laboratory parameters are considered. The effect on the clinical parameters is not unequivocal. The adverse effects seem to be mild but the long-term efficacy and safety of tetracyclines as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs remain to be demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kloppenburg
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Dijkmans
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Breedveld
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D013754:Tetracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013754:Tetracyclines