ABSTRACT
Results of a large therapeutic trial of interferon-gamma in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are described. Of 110 RA-patients enrolled in this clinical trial, 46 were treated with interferon-gamma for 12 months. During the treatment period, dosage was reduced on an individual basis. There was a correlation between the improvement of clinical parameters, such as pain or morning stiffness, and the improvement of laboratory parameters such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia, leucocytosis or thrombocytosis. Interferon-gamma was well tolerated, and no organ toxicity was detected.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/therapy , Interferon-gamma/administration & dosage , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/administration & dosage , Adult , Aged , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/blood , Blood Cell Count/drug effects , Clinical Trials as Topic , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pain Measurement , Recombinant Proteins , Rheumatoid Factor/analysisABSTRACT
Pharmacokinetic Variables under Therapy with a Nonsteroidal Antirheumatic with a Short Half-life Measured in 65-80 Years Old Patients. The pharmacokinetic variables of ibuprofen (Ibuprofen Klinge 600) (terminal half-life, cmax, tmax, area under the curve) have been measured in 65-80 years old patients with rheumatic diseases, to investigate the tolerance under the aspect of cumulating effects in the serum level concentration of ibuprofen in these patients with impaired renal function caused by their old age. The results show that there is no clinically significant deviation of the values compared with published data in younger patients. There was no increase in half-life and cmax. Therefore ibuprofen can be used in old patients with rheumatic diseases without any dose reduction and discontinuation of treatment has not to be discussed.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Ibuprofen/therapeutic use , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/blood , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacokinetics , Creatinine/blood , Female , Half-Life , Humans , Ibuprofen/blood , Ibuprofen/pharmacokinetics , MaleABSTRACT
A patient is presented who developed small weals in the vicinity but not at the place of contact with cold. The lesions occurred only on the extremities and during the cold season. There were no abnormal laboratory findings and no measurable histamine or ECF levels in the venous effluent of the affected region. Skin reactivity to acetylcholine was normal and was decreased in response to histamine and compound 48/80. This type of physical urticaria may represent a localized variety of the extremely rare cold reflex urticaria.
