[The possibilities for a modifying influence of basic therapy on the long-term course of rheumatoid arthritis]

Analysis was made of the results of basic therapy carried out for 10-15 years in 71 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) bearing in mind the systematic nature of the treatment. The study included patients with the progressive disease variety and the onset of observation instituted within the first 5 years of RA. It is shown that only basic therapy carried out for many years and practically continuously during the observation period made it possible to control the disease. As a result of such treatment policy, 50% of the patients manifested for a long time (6-10 years) a pronounced decrease or complete suppression of RA activity followed by remission, which was accompanied by retardation and the ceasing of the progression of x-ray alterations and functional insufficiency of the joints. Nonsystematic basic treatment did not exert any material effect on RA. The results of such therapy in patients with the RA standing 10-20 years did not differ from those without the use of the basic drugs.