title: Efficacy of the clinical use of iguratimod therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Iguratimod (IGU) is a new synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug intended to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We conducted a 24-week study on the efficacy of IGU in RA patients with daily clinical use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one patients were enrolled in this study, and the improvement in RA was evaluated every 4 weeks during the 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient's global assessment of the disease activity with a scale (Pt VAS) was significantly decreased beginning at week 4. The disease activity score (DAS) 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate, DAS28-C-reactive protein (CRP), simplified disease activity index and clinical disease activity index all significantly decreased at week 24. The matrix metalloproteinase-3 level was significantly decreased by the combination treatment with methotrexate at week 24. According to a logistic regression analysis, the factor which was most associated with the achievement of low disease activity (DAS28-CRP < 2.7) at week 24 was the DAS28-CRP at week 0.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IGU had significant clinical effects on the RA patients within 24 weeks. IGU might therefore represent a new practical choice to treat RA patients.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine , Maebashi, Gunma , Japan.
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Okamura
authors: Yukio
authors: Y
authors: Yonemoto
authors: Chisa
authors: C
authors: Okura
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Takagishi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002867:Chromones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000097:blood; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D002867:Chromones; D013449:Sulfonamides; C519076:iguratimod; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: Cytokine; Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs; Iguratimod; Rheumatoid arthritis; T-614