A Case Report of Rheumatoid Arthritis Successfully Treated with Dai-seiryu-to-ka-daio / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

We report a case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that showed improvement after treatment with Daiseiryu-to-kadaiou. The patient was a 77-year-old woman diagnosed with RA in 1988. She had been visiting our department regularly since 1994. Oral steroids were used for two weeks in May 1994, but were discontinued due to a bacterial infection of the artificial femoral head. Thereafter, treatment was continued with bucillamine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and various Kampo medicines. Joint pain worsened in November 2001. She was hospitalized on **********, as the CRP level had elevated to 15.2mg/dl. She had been taking bucillamine for seven years, but it had already been assessed as ineffective. It was discontinued upon hospitalization, and treatment with Daiseiryu-to-kadaiou was immediately begun. By ******, the patient judged the pain in both knees to have improved by about 50 percent. Moreover, the CRP level decreased to 2.4mg/dl by *******. The Lansbury index also improved from 100 percent to 69 percent during her hospitalization, and she was discharged on *******. Based on this experience, it is suggested that the prescription of Daiseiryu-to-kadaiou be considered in the treatment of RA patients.