Dj. Mccarty et al., TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID JOINT INFLAMMATION WITH INTRASYNOVIAL TRIAMCINOLONE HEXACETONIDE, Journal of rheumatology, 22(9), 1995, pp. 1631-1635
Objective. To determine the effectiveness of intrasynovial triamcinolo
ne hexacetonide coupled with joint rest (3 weeks upper extremity; 6 we
eks lower extremity) in the treatment of joint and tendon sheath infla
mmation in patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Metho
ds. The medical records of 169 patients with seropositive RA treated b
y a single rheumatologist for at least one year between 1974 and 1992
were abstracted. Results. Nine hundred fifty-six injections were given
to 140 patients; similar to 75% of injected synovial structures remai
ned in remission during a mean followup 7 years; 218 injections were g
iven into previously treated structures. The injection rate was about
2 per patient in the first year, half of which were given at the time
of the first visit. The rate then approximated 0.6 injections per pati
ent-year for the next 15 years. Joints in the right upper extremity we
re injected significantly (p = 0.01) more frequently than those on the
left. Conclusion. Intrasynovial triamcinolone hexacetonide followed b
y rest is a very useful adjunctive modality in the treatment of seropo
sitive rheumatoid arthritis.