Comparison of white blood cell dyscrasias during sulphasalazine therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

A total of 7 out of 158 rheumatoid arthritis patients followed for 6 months have developed leucopenia during sulphasalazine therapy at our centre. Two of these patients developed profound leucopenia which necessitated admission to a laminar flow unit, and case reports of these are documented in detail. These results are compared with those from other centres in the United Kingdom where patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been treated, and also with experience gained from patients with inflammatory bowel disease who have been treated with sulphasalazine.