Diagnostic Value of Oral Prednisolone Test for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease often leading to progressive joint destruction. To prevent disability caused by inflamed joints early diagnosis is important. Early diagnosis might be a challenge because the diagnosis is mostly based on clinical signs like swelling of small joints. In clinical practice a therapy with prednisolone is started although the patients do not have an exact diagnosis. In this cases the prednisolone might serve as a diagnostic test for an inflammatory process. The objective of this study is to investigate the diagnostic value of oral prednisolone test for rheumatoid arthritis.

Timeline

Start

2012-02

Primary completion

2014-11

Completion

2014-12

Publications

• Background Aletaha D, Neogi T, Silman AJ, Funovits J, Felson DT, Bingham CO 3rd, Birnbaum NS, Burmester GR, Bykerk VP, Cohen MD, Combe B, Costenbader KH, Dougados M, Emery P, Ferraccioli G, Hazes JM, Hobbs K, Huizinga TW, Kavanaugh A, Kay J, Kvien TK, Laing T, Mease P, Menard HA, Moreland LW, Naden RL, Pincus T, Smolen JS, Stanislawska-Biernat E, Symmons D, Tak PP, Upchurch KS, Vencovsky J, Wolfe F, Hawker G. 2010 Rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Arthritis Rheum. 2010 Sep;62(9):2569-81. doi: 10.1002/art.27584.
• Background Wassenberg S, Rau R, Steinfeld P, Zeidler H. Very low-dose prednisolone in early rheumatoid arthritis retards radiographic progression over two years: a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2005 Nov;52(11):3371-80. doi: 10.1002/art.21421.
• Background Kirwan JR. The effect of glucocorticoids on joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis. The Arthritis and Rheumatism Council Low-Dose Glucocorticoid Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1995 Jul 20;333(3):142-6. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199507203330302.
• Kiltz U, von Zabern C, Baraliakos X, Heldmann F, Mintrop B, Sarholz M, Krause D, Dybowski F, Kalthoff L, Braun J. Diagnostic value of a 3-day course of prednisolone in patients with possible rheumatoid arthritis - the TryCort study. Arthritis Res Ther. 2017 Apr 7;19(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s13075-017-1279-z.

Drugs

Indications