Background: To compare short term efficacy of pulse intravenous (iv) Methylprednisolone (MP) versus Infiximab in flares of polyarthritis.
Patients-methods: Observational study of consecutive patients admitted with flares of chronic polyarthritis. Treatment consisted of three iv doses of MP 1000mg on alternate days (MP-group, n = 10) or of Infliximab will be 3 mg/kg at baseline, two, and six weeks later (I-group, n=9). DMARD therapy was initiated/continued in all patients. Disease parameters at baseline (t=0), two weeks (t=1) and twelve weeks (t=2) were compared by non-parametric testing.
Results: Reductions in disease parameters at both t=1 and t=2, the occurrence of side effects and the proportion of patients reaching ACR 20, 50 or 70% response criteria were similar in both groups.
Conclusion: Pulse MP resulted in a symptomatic response similar to Infliximab in our patients. The benefit of MP was observed for up to 3 months.