HISTOLOGIC-CHANGES IN RHEUMATOID SYNOVITIS INDUCED BY NAPROXEN AND METHOTREXATE

Objective. To study the changes in rheumatoid synovitis induced by the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID), naproxen, and methotrexat e (MTX). Methods. Twelve patients were treated with naproxen, and 11 w ith MTX and a clinical activity index was measured before and after tr eatment. A synovial biopsy was taken, on entry into the study and afte r 73 +/- 43 days in the NSAID group and 145 +/- 35 in the MTX group. S ynovial cells bearing CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, LeuM5 (CD11c), HLA-DR, HLA- DP and CD25 antigens were measured by stereology.Results. Patients tre ated with MTX showed a reduction in the number of CD3+ (p = 0.01), CD4 + (p = 0.007) and HLA-DR+ (p = 0.01) cells with an improvement in the activity index (p = 0.001). The patients treated with naproxen did not show changes in the activity index or in the synovial infiltrate. Con clusion. Our findings support the theory that clinical improvement in rheumatoid synovitis is associated with a significant decrease in the number of T cells infiltrating the synovial membrane.