Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune disease and is the most common type of inflammatory arthritis worldwide. Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and NSAIDs have been the mainstay of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Objectives: To compare the effects of low dose methylpredinisolone and deflazacort, in addition to DMARDs, on clinical progression of RA and to evaluate the side-effects of the same.
Methods: 60 patients of active RA of less than 12 weeks duration were included and divided into 2 groups of 30 each. Diagnosis was established using 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria. Patients were treated with 2 DMARDs along with one of these two corticosteroids. The remission was defined using the SDAI SCORE; and the effect of steroids was noted and the dose tailored accordingly. RESULTS: At 12 weeks, remission was attained in 80% of patients in methylprednisolone group as compared to 63.33% in deflazacort group.
Conclusion: We concluded that addition of low dose steroids to conventional DMARDs lead to rapid symptomatic improvement, earlier remission with no side-effects in short term. The difference in remission rate of both both groups was statistically insignificant.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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