Controlled, double blind studies of antirheumatic agents in psoriatic arthritis
| Agents | Regimen/comparator(s) | n | Statistically significant clinical effects | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Highly significant improvements in joint pain and swelling, doctor and patient global assessments, functional outcomes, CRP, and psoriatic lesions. | ||||
| Methotrexate | Pulse 7.5–15 mg/wk v placebo | 37 | Small improvements in doctor assessments of disease activity and area covered by psoriatic lesions | Willkens RF et al, 198433 |
| IM gold thiomalate | 50 mg once/wk v 3 mg bid auranofin v placebo | 82 | Improvements in joint pain and ESR at 23 and 24 weeks for IM gold v placebo, no significant changes for auranofin | Palit J et al, 199034 |
| Sulfasalazine | 500 mg qid v placebo | 30 | Improvements in arthritis symptoms at 1 and 6 mos, no effect on psoriasis | Farr M et al, 199035 |
| Sulfasalazine | 500 mg qid v placebo | 221 | Slightly better overall response in arthritis than with placebo | Clegg DO et al, 199636 |
| Etanercept | 25 mg sc twice/wk v placebo | 60 | Improvements in joint pain and swelling at 4, 8, and 12 weeks; greatly reduced psoriasis* | Mease PJ et al, 20001 |