An Open, Controlled, Randomized Comparison of Cyclosporine and Azathioprine in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Cyclosporine (10 mg/kg/day) and azathioprine (2.5-3 mg/kg/day) were compared for 26 weeks in an open, controlled, randomized study of 24 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Each treatment group consisted of 12 patients. Those patients who took cyclosporine improved significantly in the 50-foot walk time, circumferences of proximal interphalangeal joints, Ritchie articular index, global assessment by investigator, and grip strength, when compared with baseline findings. In the azathioprine group, there was improvement only in grip strength.