Efficacy of Methylprednisolone pulse therapy versus Infliximab in the treatment of severe flares of chronic polyarthritis

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Abstract
To compare short term efficacy of pulse intravenous (iv) Methylprednisolone (MP) versus Infiximab in flares of polyarthritis. Observational study of consecutive patients admitted with flares of chronic polyarthritis. Treatment consisted of three iv doses of MP 1000mg on alternate days (MP-group, n = 10) or of Infliximab will be 3 mg/kg at baseline, two, and six weeks later (I-group, n=9). DMARD therapy was initiated/continued in all patients. Disease parameters at baseline (t=0), two weeks (t=1) and twelve weeks (t=2) were compared by non-parametric testing. Reductions in disease parameters at both t=1 and t=2, the occurrence of side effects and the proportion of patients reaching ACR 20, 50 or 70% response criteria were similar in both groups. Pulse MP resulted in a symptomatic response similar to Infliximab in our patients. The benefit of MP was observed for up to 3 months.