Abstract
We present a case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) successfully treated with Kampo medicine. A 44-year-old man developed RA in 2003. Methotrexate (MTX), prednisolone (PSL) and salazosulfapyridine therapy did not improve his condition. After MTX therapy with PSL (15mg/day) in 2007, the CRP value decreased from 6.0 to 1.2 mg/dl, but recurrence of RA occurred after a decrease in the dosage of PSL to 5 mg/day. The patient visited our clinic in Dec. 2008. We used granulated Kampo extract first, but RA conditions did not improve. Even after administering etanercept and MTX with 5 mg/day of PSL since March 2009, his condition did not improve well, and the MMP-3 value increased. Since August 2009, decoction of Kampo medicine, Keishi-nieppi-itto-ka-ryojutubu was administered second. Thereafter, polyarthralgia decreased to10% of the peak level, and DAS28-CRP and MMP-3 values also decreased. These values have remained low for 3 months to date. Kampo medicine may be a useful additional and alternative agent for the treatment of RA.
