MESALAMINE THERAPY IN REITERS-SYNDROME

A patient with chronic Reiter's syndrome (RS) refractory to nonsteroid al antiinflammatory therapy was prescribed mesalamine (Pentasa (R)) th erapy for a 4-month trial. Nine months after discontinuing therapy, me salamine was reintroduced. A pre and posttreatment ileocolonoscopy wit h distal ileum biopsy was performed. Our patient responded well to mes alamine therapy as measured by improvement in joint count, morning sti ffness, and fatigue. Symptoms returned after cessation of therapy. His RS once again went into remission after reintroduction of mesalamine. The pretreatment biopsy revealed inflammatory lesions usually describ ed in the spondyloarthropathies. These lesions improved with resumptio n of mesalamine therapy.