[Clinical studies with salazopyrine--consequences and perspectives].

The efficiency of sulphasalazine (SASP) as a long-acting antirheumatic drug for rheumatoid arthritis is now well established by placebo-controlled studies and comparative trials with injectable gold and D-penicillamin. Early treatment effect and better tolerance suggest the use of SASP especially for early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Severe and advanced disease, in which gold and/or D-penicillamin were not effective or toxic, may also be treated with SASP. Open questions are the effect on the radiological progression and the differential indication to antimalarials, oral gold and methotrexat. Positive results of two placebo-controlled studies in ankylosing spondylitis for the first time open the perspective of a long-acting antiphlogistic therapy in this disease. Further open trials observed promising treatment effects of SASP in reactive and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, future clinical studies have to establish indication, benefit-risk-relation and treatment modalities also in these rheumatic disorders.