[Use of mefenamic acid as a connective tissue stabilizer in treating arthropathic psoriasis]

The findings of biochemical studies, carried out in 30 patients suffering from psoriatic arthropathy, are analyzed. The parameters examined are: the blood and urine glycosaminoglycans, urine hydroxyproline levels, and blood hyaluronate glycan hydrolase and N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activities, i. e. the matrix and collagen metabolites as the indicators of the connective tissue destruction and lysosomal enzymes activation responsible, among other factors, for this destruction. The studies have revealed a correlation between the enzymic activity augmentation and the levels of the connective tissue degradation products and the dissemination and severity of the skin and articular processes. The patients have been treated with mefenamic acid, an enzymic activity inhibitor. The therapy has been effective in 76% of patients; 13% of these have developed a remission shortly after therapy (in 46.7 days on an average). The therapy has alleviated both skin and articular symptoms; a tendency to normalization of the biochemical characteristics has been observed. A continuous course of therapy has not been associated with side effects. The author recommends this pathogenetically based and confirmed by laboratory investigations method to be included into a complex of therapeutic measures for patients with psoriatic arthropathy.