Venkatesh S
India
Research Article
A Prospective Double Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Combination Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs vs. Monotherapy (Sulfasalazine) in Patients with Inflammatory Low Backache in Ankylosing Spondylitis and Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy
Author(s): Venkatesh S, Vishad V Viswanath, Deepak Tripathi, Mehtab Ansari and Vikas AgarwalVenkatesh S, Vishad V Viswanath, Deepak Tripathi, Mehtab Ansari and Vikas Agarwal
Objective: Inflammatory back pain (IBP) in Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and Undifferentiated Spondyloarthritis (UspA) adversely affects the quality of life. Herein combination DMARD vs. sulfasalazine (SSZ) monotherapy was evaluated in treatment of axial symptoms of AS and UspA.
Methods: Patients with AS/UspA with disease duration ≤ 8 years, IBP of atleast 6 months duration, and BASDAI ≥ 4 or early morning stiffness ≥ 1 hour despite NSAID therapy for 6 weeks were included. Patients were initiated on SSZ with either combination DMARD [MTX (10 mg escalated by 2.5 mg every week up to 20 mg/week) and HCQS 200 mg/day] or SSZ Monotherapy group [placebo MTX and placebo HCQS]. ASAS20 response was assessed at baseline and at the end of 6 months.
Results: Of thirty three patients (31 males) with mean disease duration .. View More»
