A HIGH-DOSE (UP TO 200 MG) TOLERANCE AND EFFICACY STUDY OF INTRAARTICULAR RIMEXOLONE (ORG-6216) IN RHEUMATOID SYNOVITIS OF THE KNEE

Twenty patients with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis receiv ed one intra-articular injection of 40, 80, 120, 160 or 200 mg rimexol one (Org 6216) into one knee joint. Rimexolone was well tolerated and the incidence of side-effects was low. A beneficial effect was sustain ed over the study period of 94 days and a long-lasting effect was obse rved in 84% of the patients after one year and in 79% after 2 years. S afety parameters remained unaffected. Individual changes in adrenal re sponse to ACTH and morning cortisol levels did not correlate with the dose or with serum levels of rimexolone. Rimexolone showed linear kine tics. The mean residence time in the intra-articular depot was 44 days (SD +/- 53) with a median of 26 days. Ninety percent was absorbed aft er 4 months. Outside the intra-articular depot the mean residence time was less than 0.1 days.