Efficacy of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common inflammatory articular disorder in Bangladesh. Methotrexate has proved to be an effective and relatively safe disease modifying drug for this disease. A quasiexperimental trial of the efficacy of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis was carried out in the Rheumatology Clinic, Institute of Postgraduate Medicine & Research, Dhaka during the period between July 1992 and September 1993. Thirty eight patients fulfilling the revised ARA criteria were given methotrexate in a total weekly dose of 7.5 to 15 mg. They were followed up at weekly intervals for one month and then monthly for a total duration of six months. Twenty three subjects eventually completed the trial. The trial showed significant differences in the disease activity indices at the end of six months. The decline of activity was noted at the end of one month. As a whole the response was complete in 4(17%), marked in 14(61%), moderate in 4(17%) and nil in 1(4%). Adverse effects occurred in 27 subjects. They were mild and transient in 22. Methotrexate appeared to be an acceptable DMARD for our rheumatoid arthritis population.

Double blind clinical trial on centperazine & DEC in bancroftian filariasis.

Centperazine, an analogue of DEC, was subjected to a double blind controlled trial, to evaluate its efficacy as a newer antifilarial agent. Centperazine (300 mg/day) along with equivalent quantities of DEC and placebo were administered to different types of filariasis patients. DEC was found to be significantly effective in reducing peripheral microfilaraemia, in different weeks and months of follow-up, except at the end of 6th month, as compared to Centperazine. There was no significant difference between the placebo and Centperazine treated patients, in this respect, revealing that the drugs had no efficacy in eliminating peripheral microfilaraemia. Recurrence of acute attack within 6 months was nearly equal with both Centperazine and DEC, being 28.2 and 24 per cent respectively, whereas in the placebo group the recurrence rate was 48.9 per cent. Centperazine treated patients showed significantly less side effects (8.9%), as compared to DEC treated patients (34%). Giddiness, nausea and vomiting were the common adverse effects observed.