Abstract
Objective. In 1996 we found by serendipity that 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were taking clarithromycin (CM) to eradicate Helicobacter pylori experienced a regression of their RA symptoms. Following this observation, we tested the hypothesis that this reduction in symptoms could have been caused by CM administration. Methods. We performed a 6-month, open, uncontrolled pilot study on 18 patients (14 females and 4 males, mean age 62 yrs.) with RA who had previously received DMARDs (mean 2.6) and discontinued the treatment at least one month earlier because lack of efficacy or severe side effects. Patients were treated with CM at the dose of 500 mg twice per day for the first 10 days, followed by a daily maintenance dose of 250 mg twice per day. Results. 4/18 patients did not complete the treatment, 2/18 were not responsive to the treatment and 2/18 discontinued the treatment. Following ACR criteria the improvement was: 10 patients ACR 20; 6 patients ACR 50; and 2 patients ACR 70. The remaining 4 patients did not reach ACR 20 since either the number of tender or swollen joints was not to the level required. Reductions in PGE2 and soluble phospholipase A2 plasma levels were closely related to CM plasma levels. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that CM treatment can be beneficial in those patients who are not responsive to or cannot tolerate DMARDs. No definitive conclusions can be drawn based on the present study, due to the small sample size involved.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 373-378 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - May 2002 |
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Keywords
- Antibiotics
- Clarithromycin
- Macrolide
- Rheumatoid arthritis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
Cite this
Clarithromycin in rheumatoid arthritis patients not responsive to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs : An open, uncontrolled pilot study. / Saviola, Gianantonio; Abdi Ali, Lul; Rossini, Paola; Campostrini, Lorella; Coppini, Alessandro; Gori, Mario; Ianaro, Angela; Bucci, Mariarosaria; de Nucci, Gilberto; Cirino, Giuseppe.
In: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, Vol. 20, No. 3, 05.2002, p. 373-378.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Clarithromycin in rheumatoid arthritis patients not responsive to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
T2 - An open, uncontrolled pilot study
AU - Saviola, Gianantonio
AU - Abdi Ali, Lul
AU - Rossini, Paola
AU - Campostrini, Lorella
AU - Coppini, Alessandro
AU - Gori, Mario
AU - Ianaro, Angela
AU - Bucci, Mariarosaria
AU - de Nucci, Gilberto
AU - Cirino, Giuseppe
PY - 2002/5
Y1 - 2002/5
N2 - Objective. In 1996 we found by serendipity that 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were taking clarithromycin (CM) to eradicate Helicobacter pylori experienced a regression of their RA symptoms. Following this observation, we tested the hypothesis that this reduction in symptoms could have been caused by CM administration. Methods. We performed a 6-month, open, uncontrolled pilot study on 18 patients (14 females and 4 males, mean age 62 yrs.) with RA who had previously received DMARDs (mean 2.6) and discontinued the treatment at least one month earlier because lack of efficacy or severe side effects. Patients were treated with CM at the dose of 500 mg twice per day for the first 10 days, followed by a daily maintenance dose of 250 mg twice per day. Results. 4/18 patients did not complete the treatment, 2/18 were not responsive to the treatment and 2/18 discontinued the treatment. Following ACR criteria the improvement was: 10 patients ACR 20; 6 patients ACR 50; and 2 patients ACR 70. The remaining 4 patients did not reach ACR 20 since either the number of tender or swollen joints was not to the level required. Reductions in PGE2 and soluble phospholipase A2 plasma levels were closely related to CM plasma levels. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that CM treatment can be beneficial in those patients who are not responsive to or cannot tolerate DMARDs. No definitive conclusions can be drawn based on the present study, due to the small sample size involved.
AB - Objective. In 1996 we found by serendipity that 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were taking clarithromycin (CM) to eradicate Helicobacter pylori experienced a regression of their RA symptoms. Following this observation, we tested the hypothesis that this reduction in symptoms could have been caused by CM administration. Methods. We performed a 6-month, open, uncontrolled pilot study on 18 patients (14 females and 4 males, mean age 62 yrs.) with RA who had previously received DMARDs (mean 2.6) and discontinued the treatment at least one month earlier because lack of efficacy or severe side effects. Patients were treated with CM at the dose of 500 mg twice per day for the first 10 days, followed by a daily maintenance dose of 250 mg twice per day. Results. 4/18 patients did not complete the treatment, 2/18 were not responsive to the treatment and 2/18 discontinued the treatment. Following ACR criteria the improvement was: 10 patients ACR 20; 6 patients ACR 50; and 2 patients ACR 70. The remaining 4 patients did not reach ACR 20 since either the number of tender or swollen joints was not to the level required. Reductions in PGE2 and soluble phospholipase A2 plasma levels were closely related to CM plasma levels. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that CM treatment can be beneficial in those patients who are not responsive to or cannot tolerate DMARDs. No definitive conclusions can be drawn based on the present study, due to the small sample size involved.
KW - Antibiotics
KW - Clarithromycin
KW - Macrolide
KW - Rheumatoid arthritis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036558941&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036558941&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 12102474
AN - SCOPUS:0036558941
VL - 20
SP - 373
EP - 378
JO - Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology
JF - Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology
SN - 0392-856X
IS - 3
ER -