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Efficacy of methylprednisolone pulse therapy in children with rheumatoid arthritis

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Abstract

Pulse therapy is one of the most well-known methods used in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This study assessed the outcome of methylprednisolone pulse therapy, its rate of efficacy, and its associated complications in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). This cross-sectional study was performed on 120 children with JRA who attended the Pediatric Ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital from 1994 to 2004 and who had undergone around 500 cycles of methylprednisolone pulse therapies. Clinical signs, including signs of improvement, complications, or recurrence of disease, were noted. SPSS version 11.5 and paired t test were used to compare the variables prior to and after treatment. Clinical signs observed included: feeling of weakness (100%), malaise (98.3%), loss of appetite (93.3%), fever (88.3%), skin rash (28%), lymphadenopathy (18.3%), serositis (4.2%), splenomegaly (3.3%), and hepatomegaly (1.7%); however, none of these findings were present after pulse therapy. The number of swollen and tender joints, duration of morning stiffness, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and hemoglobin levels showed significant improvement after pulse therapy. Complications of pulse therapy included tachycardia (n = 16, 13.3%), hypertension (n = 10, 8.3%), headache (n = 2, 1.7%), and flashing (n = 2, 1.7%). The mean duration of remission was 3.3 ± 0.7 months.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Yahya Aghighi & Lida Attarod

  2. Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Javanmard

  3. Pediatric Ward, Vali-asr Hospital, Keshavarz blvd., 14194, Tehran, Iran

    Lida Attarod

Authors
  1. Yahya Aghighi
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  2. Lida Attarod
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  3. Maryam Javanmard
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Correspondence to Lida Attarod.

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Aghighi, Y., Attarod, L. & Javanmard, M. Efficacy of methylprednisolone pulse therapy in children with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Rheumatol 27, 1371–1375 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-008-0919-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-008-0919-8

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