Abstract
We report 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of recent onset treated with sulfasalazine (SSZ) alone in whom bone erosion was repaired and bone regeneration observed during treatment. In both patients, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) remained low throughout treatment. One of the patients, however, exhibited a slight, transient increase in these parameters during progression of bone destruction, and repair of the site of bone erosion and bone regeneration were observed in association with decrease in these parameters. These findings confirm that treatment of early RA with SSZ not only reduces the risk of serious side effects but also yields a good prognosis.
