[Psoriatic arthritis: combined treatment with prospidin and methotrexate]

To compare clinical efficacy of methotrexate monotherapy and methotrexate combination with prospidin in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PA).

Sixty three patients (42 females and 21 males) with documented PA, generalized articular syndrome of the second-third degree of activity were divided into two groups. Patients of group 1 (n = 30) received combined therapy (i.v. prospidin 200-300 mg/week + i.m. methotrexate 10 mg/week). Maintenance consisted of prospidin in a dose 100-200 mg/week i.m., methotrexate dose was the same. Patients of group 2 (n = 33) were given methotrexate monotherapy in a dose 10 mg/ week i.m.

In the first three months of the study and in maintenance therapy, combined treatment was more effective. By ACR criteria, 50-70% response was achieved after 12 months of treatment in 44 and 27.3% patients of groups 1 and 2, respectively. The number of side effects and drug-related withdrawals was 23.3 and 36.4%, 10 and 15.1% in groups 1 and 2, respectively.

Combination of methotrexate with prospidin produced an earlier and more potent positive clinical effect than methotrexate alone in PA patients.