title: Efficacy of methylprednisolone pulse therapy versus infliximab in the treatment of severe flares of chronic polyarthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To compare short term efficacy of pulse intravenous (iv) Methylprednisolone (MP) versus Infiximab in flares of polyarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study of consecutive patients admitted with flares of chronic polyarthritis. Treatment consisted of three iv doses of MP 1000mg on alternate days (MP-group, n = 10) or of Infliximab will be 3 mg/kg at baseline, two, and six weeks later (I-group, n=9). DMARD therapy was initiated/continued in all patients. Disease parameters at baseline (t=0), two weeks (t=1) and twelve weeks (t=2) were compared by non-parametric testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reductions in disease parameters at both t=1 and t=2, the occurrence of side effects and the proportion of patients reaching ACR 20, 50 or 70% response criteria were similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulse MP resulted in a symptomatic response similar to Infliximab in our patients. The benefit of MP was observed for up to 3 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Tromsø, Norway. revhan@rito.no
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Nossent
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bakland
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Aslaksen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Nordvåg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000069285:Infliximab; D008775:Methylprednisolone