Effect of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on Methotrexate Dosage, Corticosteroid Dosage, Rheumatoid Arthritis Activity and Laboratory Data in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

抄録

The effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on methotrexate (MTX) dosage, corticosteroid dosage, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity and laboratory data in MTX-treated patients with RA was investigated retrospectively. The MTX dosage was significantly increased in 67% of the control patients, while in only 33% of the NSAID-treated patients, MTX dosage was increased (p<0.05). A significant reduction of corticosteroid dosage (p<0.05) and RA activity (p<0.01) in the control patients was observed. Changes in several laboratory data of RA patients during the observation period were similar between the two patient groups.