Comparing 10-day and 4-month doxycycline courses for treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis-reactive arthritis: a prospective, double-blind trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of a 10-day and a 4-month doxycylcine course for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis-reactive arthritis (Ct-ReA).


METHODS
Patients with active Ct-ReA were enrolled in a prospective, multicentre, double-blind, controlled clinical trial and randomised to receive doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 10 days followed either by placebo or by continued doxycycline 100 mg twice daily over 4 months. Various clinical and laboratory parameters referring to disease activity were recorded in the beginning and at the end of treatment.


RESULTS
32 of 37 patients included (15 men and 17 women; mean (standard deviation) disease duration 17 (13) months completed the study; 17 were randomised to short-term doxycycline and placebo (placebo group) and 15 to prolonged treatment with doxycycline (doxycycline group) over the 4-month study period. After this time, only two patients from each group went into remission. There were no drop-outs owing to adverse events or treatment failures.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that prolonged treatment with a 4-month course of doxycycline is not superior to short-term treatment over 10 days in patients with Ct-ReA.
Putschky
N
N
Rheumatologikum Hannover, Rathenaustr 13/14, 30159 Hannover, Germany. service@rheumatologikum.de
Pott
H-G
HG
Kuipers
J G
JG
Zeidler
H
H
Hammer
M
M
Wollenhaupt
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000091402:Prohibitins; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C000717331:PHB2 protein, human; D000091402:Prohibitins; D004318:Doxycycline