[Comparison between ambulatory or stationary treatment systems for patients with rhematoid arthritis with reference to the development of the family situation]. / Vergleich des ambulanten und des Kurbeha ndlungs-systems für chronische Polyarthritiker im H inblick auf die Entwicklung der familiären Situation.

UNLABELLED: The evaluation of a detailed questionaire which was issued to 44 German female rheumatoid arthritis patients (family mothers) who underwent "Kur" treatment courses and a comparable group of Dutch patients who had ambulatory treatment only shows little advantage to the "Kur" system). The "Kur" patients had adjusted somewhat better to their illness and had retained more easily the extra-familial social contacts. In contrast, statistically significant advantages were clearly evident in the Dutch ambulatory treatment programm: 1. Over-all reduction in "feeling ill" 2. Reduced stress in association with the objectively reduced joint mobility 3. Reduced stress in association with pain 4. The support of the patient by immediate family members and other relatives is generally better 5. Better patient support possibilities by family friends 6. Reduced negative effects on family life 7. Reduced disruptive effects in relationships between the patients and their husbands and children 8. Higher degree of satisfaction with physicians and the treatment. IN CONCLUSION: Even if national behavioral differences are taken into consideration, the ambulatory system as practiced in Holland seems to hold significant advantages to the "Kur" system.

The efficacy of intra-articularly administered MYC 2095, triamcinolone hexacetonide and placebo in gonarthritis. A combined double-blind clinical trial.

We report the results of a double-blind three-centre study, employing a cross-over design, set up to compare the efficacy of intra-articular injections of Myc 2095 (20 mg), triamcinolone hexacetonide (Lederspan) (20 mg) and placebo in 40 patients with synovitis of the knee joint. Each patient included in the study contributed data on 2 of the 3 treatment variables being compared. Seven clinical parameters were assessed every 6 weeks, while the doctor's and the patient's assessments were scored. Intra articular treatment both with Myc 2095 and triamcinolone hexacetonide proved to be effective. Placebo response was also very high. After the first Myc 2095 injection, improvement in "tenderness", "pain under load" and "swelling and hydrops" was significantly superior to that following placebo treatment. The evaluation of the second injections indicated a marked carry-over effect from the first course. This was also evident from the doctor's and patient's assessments. The importance of including a placebo in the evaluation of anti-phlogistic drugs in clinical trials, emerged from this study.