INTRAARTICULAR TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID KNEE-JOINT EFFUSION WITH TRIAMCINOLONE HEXACETONIDE VERSUS SODIUM MORRHUATE - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

Thirty-one patients with knee effusions associated with rheumatoid art hritis (RA) have been treated with two intraarticular (i.a.) injection s of each 330 mg sodium morrhuate (SM) used for synoviorthesis versus a single injection of 20 mg triamcinolone hexacetonide (TA). During an observation period of one year, five articular parameters as well as patient's and doctor's global assessments were evaluated. TA showed an earlier onset and a longer duration of therapeutic effects with high statistical significance. The maximum improvement was significantly mo re pronounced with TA than with SM. Finally after one year improvement measured by a remission index was observed in 81% versus 33% resp. of all joints injected. Due to ineffectiveness of the primary treatment nine patients (60%) out of the SM group, but no patient out of the TA group had to be crossed over to the other treatment. SM usually caused a reactive effusion within hours after injection requiring arthrocent esis. In conclusion efficacy and tolerability are clearly better for T A than for SM.