Evaluation of the efficacy of standard basic anti-inflammatory drugs and the time to start basictherapy for rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency of basic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) depending on the time of its start and the choice of a starting
regimen.
Subjects and methods. The study included 258 patients with verified RA, who were divided into groups by the time of basic therapy initiation. All
the patients were estimated for changes in the articular syndrome (Ritchie articular index, the number of painful joints, that of inflamed joints,
pain and total disease activity assessment by the visual analogue scale, morning stiffness in minutes, and the number of erosions by hand and foot
X-ray films). Therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated by the EULAR criteria on the basis of DAS 4 changes and the number of erosions.
Results. The study group showed significant clinical and laboratory improvements at the early start of basic therapy as compared with the controls.
Assessment using the EURLAR criteria indicated better short-term results in leflunomide-treated patients; overall, a greater percentage of
improvements were noted in the study group than in the control one. The study group exhibited a total significantly less increase in the number
of erosions as did subgroups with different basic therapy options, but not the sulfasalazine subgroup.
Conclusion. Basic therapy initiated at the time of diagnosis of RA permits disease activity and progression to be more effectively controlled than
delayed therapy