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Androgens as adjuvant treatment in postmenopausal female patients with rheumatoid arthritis
A Booji1, C M Biewenga-Booji, O Huber-Bruning
1Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Objective:
To examine the possible beneficial effect of androgens in postmenopausal women with active rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods:
107 women participated in a double blind placebo controlled trial to evaluate the effect of 50 mg testosterone propionate intramuscularly every two weeks for one year.
Results:
An improvement in ESR, Dutch health assessment questionnaire, and pain was noted. In addition, 21% of patients treated with testosterone fulfilled the ACR improvement criteria after one year, versus only 4% of the placebo group. The treatment was well tolerated.
Conclusions:
Testosterone may improve the general wellbeing of postmenopausal women with active rheumatoid arthritis.