Article

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness in the medium
term between low and high doses of triamcinolone hexacetonide used in
intra-articular injection in medium-sized joints of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
patients. METHODS: A randomized double-blind study was carried out in rheumatoid
arthritis patients with wrist painful refractory synovitis. Sixty wrists were
included and randomized to receive low dose (20 mg) or high dose (40 mg). The
outcomes assessed in T0, T1, T4, T8, and T12 weeks were visual analog scale for
pain and for swelling, chronic disease activity index, goniometry, simplified
Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire, and side effects. RESULTS: Baseline
mean (standard deviation) values were pain visual analog scale of 6.1 (1.6) and
6.3 (1.7), P = 0.562; swelling visual analog scale of 5.9 and 6.4, P = 0.466;
chronic disease activity index of 17.8 and 16.8, P = 0.366; and Health Assessment
Questionnaire of 0.8 and 0.7,
P = 0.238, in the high- and low-dose groups,
respectively. Both groups improved pain and swelling assessed by the visual
analog scale, P < 0.001, in the intragroup analysis.
Chronic disease activity
index, goniometry, and Health Assessment Questionnaire also improved equally over
time in both groups in the intragroup analysis
(P < 0.001, 0.001, and 0.002,
respectively). No serious side effects were detected. CONCLUSIONS: High and low
triamcinolone hexacetonide doses had good effectiveness in wrist-blinded
intra-articular injection of rheumatoid arthritis patients, without statistical
difference between them.

Langue : ANGLAIS