Treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis with minocycline or placebo: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled t

Arthritis Rheum 1997 May;40(5):842-848

Treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis with minocycline or placebo: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

O'Dell JR, Haire CE, Palmer W, Drymalski W, Wees S, Blakely K, Churchill M, Eckhoff PJ, Weaver A, Doud D, Erikson N, Dietz F, Olson R, Maloley P, Klassen LW, Moore GF

University of Nebraska Medical Center and Omaha VA Hospital, 68198-3025, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if minocycline is an effective therapy for seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when used within the first year of disease. METHODS: The Rheumatoid Arthritis Investigational Network enrolled 46 patients with RA of <1 year duration into a 6-month study of minocycline (100 mg twice daily) versus placebo. All patients were rheumatoid factor positive. The primary end point of the study was successful completion of 6 months of treatment with no drug toxicity while maintaining 50% improvement in composite symptoms of arthritis. RESULTS: Eighteen of the 46 patients who were enrolled met 50% improvement criteria at 3 months, and maintained at least a 50% improvement for 6 months with no significant drug toxicity. Among them were 15 of the 23 patients (65%) treated with minocycline and 3 of 23 patients (13%) treated with placebo (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients with early seropositive RA, therapy with minocycline is superior to placebo.

Publication Types:

• Clinical trial
• Randomized controlled trial

Comments:

• Comment in: Arthritis Rheum 1997 May;40(5 ):794-6

PMID: 9153544, UI: 97297912

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Aged
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy*
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid/blood
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Human
• Male
• Middle Age
• Minocycline/therapeutic use*
• Placebos/therapeutic use*
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Time Factors

Substances:

• Minocycline
• Placebos