[A long-term clinical analysis of the rheumatoid patients treated by a combination of GST and CCA].

It has been well known that DMARDs are very effective for rheumatoid arthritis but lose their effect after long term administration. The authors would expect that Lobenzarit disodium (CCA) could slow the reduction of effectiveness of the DMARDs. The aim of this paper is to clarify the effects of Lobenzarit disodium (CCA) for the rheumatoid patients maintained by sodium aurothiomalate and D-penicillamine. The classical and definite rheumatoid patients were divided into two groups. One (group-A) was the rheumatoid patients who were treated in combination with CCA (79 patients). Another (group-B) was rheumatoid patients who were treated by sodium aurothiomalate or D-penicillamine (78 patients). All of them were followed for four years. In group-A, Lansbury index didn't improve in comparison with group-B. However, in the parameters of Lansbury index, improvement of the swelling joints was clearly higher in group-A than in group-B. Furthermore, this effect started in three months after administration of CCA and continued until the end of this study. On the other hand, according to roentogenographic examination utilizing MD's method, density of the metacarpal bones decreased more in group-B than in group-A. The sid-effects were few. They were five cases of gastrointestinal disorders and three cases of renal dysfunction. However, the renal dysfunction seems unlikely to be causally related to CCA. The authors could confirm the certain and expected results of combination therapy with CCA and sodium aurothiomalate and D-penicillamine for the rheumatoid patients.