THE EFFECT OF PROPHYLACTIC PENICILLIN TREATMENT ON THE COURSE OF ARTHRITIS EPISODES IN PATIENTS WITH BEHCETS-DISEASE - A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL-TRIAL

Objective. Because exposure to streptococcal antigens might be a major disease activity-provoking factor in Behcet's disease, this study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of benzathine penicillin in the prophylaxis of recurrent arthritis episodes during the course of t his disease. Methods. A prospective, randomized study design was used to allocate patients to receive colchicine alone or colchicine plus be nzathine penicillin for 24 months. Results. The duration, severity, an d pattern of arthritis episodes were found to be similar in the 2 trea tment groups, but the number of arthritis episodes was significantly r educed, and the duration of episode-free time significantly prolonged, in the penicillin group compared with the colchicine-alone group. Con clusion. Penicillin treatment was demonstrated to offer adjunctive ben efits in the prevention of arthritis episodes which are not obtainable with colchicine monotherapy, This finding could provide additional ev idence for antigen triggering in the pathogenesis of Behcet's disease.