Ca. Wilkieson et al., TOLERATION, SIDE-EFFECTS AND EFFICACY OF SULFASALAZINE IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS PATIENTS OF DIFFERENT AGES, Quarterly Journal of Medicine, 86(8), 1993, pp. 501-505
Sulphasalazine is an effective second-line agent in the management of
rheumatoid arthritis. The risk:benefit ratio in the elderly is less we
ll established. We studied the risk:benefit ratio in relation to age,
retrospectively combining five prospective studies of enteric coated s
ulphasalazine therapy in 352 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clini
cal and laboratory assessments of efficacy and toxicity were made by a
n independent assessor at 0, 12, 24 and 48 weeks. The only significant
differences between young, middle aged and elderly patients at the in
itial assessment were in pain perception, ESR and C-reactive protein.
Sulphasalazine was equally effective in all age groups. The toxicity p
rofile was similar in all age groups. We conclude that sulphasalazine
is equally effective in rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly as in the
young. There was no significant change in the frequency or nature of s
ide-effects with increasing age.