A study on effectiveness of sulphasalazine for rheumatoid arthritis - A comparison with other oral remission inducing drugs.

We studied on effectiveness of sulphasalazine (SASP) in rheumatoid arthritis. SASP was compared with other oral remission-inducing drugs, D-penicillamine (D-P), auranofin (Aur), robenzarit (CCA) and methotrexate (MTX), for 6 months. In addition, we studied on cessation of treatment of each drug.After treatment of 6 months effectiveness of SASP turned out to be just the same with that of D-P and Aur. As for frequency of treatment cessation during 6 months MTX was the lowest among other drugs, being followed by D-P, SASP, Aur and CCA in order. As for achievement of continual administration of drug in each month MTX, D-P and SASP were significantly greater than Aur and CCA. The cessation of treatment due to side effect was more frequently seen in MTX and D-P. On the other hand in Aur and CCA the cessation of treatment was almost due to ineffectiveness.Many serious side effects were experienced in MTX and D-P, but not in SASP, Aur and CCA.In conclusion sulphasalazine turned out to be effective drug and tolerable over long periods in rheumatoid arthritis.