The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect on the articular pain of 100 mg of disodium-clodronate administered for 6 days a week by intramuscular injection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
We studied 46 patients (38 females and 8 males middle age 57+/-6.2 years, range from 30 to 80 years) with established RA, in the II and III anatomical stage according to Steinbrocker. Therapeutic regimen was for all patients oral methotrexate 7.5 mg weekly, prednisone 7.5 mg/day and AINS. All of these patients also received disodium-clodronate 100 mg for 6 days a week for 6 months. The results of the VAS for pain, the patient global assessment and the physician global assessment on disease activity have been recorded at baseline, at the 2 months and at 6 months of therapy.
VAS for pain and patient global assessment of disease activity values decreased significantly after 2 months of therapy (p<0.01) and in comparing basal versus final observation, but they did not change significantly from month 2 to month 6. The score of physician global assessment on disease activity was found to be significantly improved comparing the basal versus 2 months observation, and 2 months versus 6 months observations (p<0.01).
Disodium-clodronate may be considered an adjunctive therapy in the pain management of RA patients.