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Mesalamine therapy in Reiter's syndrome
G T Thomson1, C McKibbon, R D Inman
1Rheumatic Disease Unit, University of Toronto, Canada.
The Journal of Rheumatology
|March 1, 1994
Summary
Mesalamine therapy effectively treated chronic Reiter's syndrome (RS) in a patient refractory to other treatments. Symptoms improved with mesalamine and returned upon discontinuation, demonstrating its therapeutic potential for RS.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Reiter's syndrome (RS), a form of spondyloarthropathy, often presents with chronic joint inflammation.
- Standard nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy can be insufficient for managing refractory RS.
Observation:
- A patient with chronic RS, unresponsive to NSAIDs, underwent a 4-month trial of mesalamine (Pentasa).
- Clinical symptoms and inflammatory markers on ileocolonoscopy biopsy were monitored before and after treatment periods.
Findings:
- Mesalamine therapy led to significant improvement in joint count, morning stiffness, and fatigue.
- Symptoms recurred upon mesalamine cessation and remitted upon its reintroduction.
- Biopsies showed improvement in inflammatory lesions associated with spondyloarthropathies after mesalamine treatment.
Implications:
- Mesalamine may be a viable therapeutic option for patients with chronic Reiter's syndrome refractory to conventional treatments.
- Further research is warranted to explore the efficacy and mechanisms of mesalamine in spondyloarthropathies.