Summary
A clinico-pharmacological study of depot tetracosactrin in four fixed-dosage regimes was undertaken in 37 hospitalised patients with severe active rheumatoid arthritis. The regimes were: 0.25 mg daily (6 patients), 0.25 mg alternate days (6 patients), 0.5 mg daily (10 patients) and 0.5 mg alternate days (15 patients). Marked symptom relief was associated with a fall in the articular index, E.S.R. and serum globulins but also accompanied by a high incidence of steroid side effects including mooning of the face, weight gain, fluid retention, hirsutes, pigmentation and significant hypokalaemia in the higher dosage schedules despite oral potassium supplements. Maximal plasma 11-OHCS responses increased with duration of therapy in all groups, but parallel measurements of intraocular pressure appeared to be unrelated and did not rise significantly with treatment. It is suggested that to obtain optimum results in any individual, the dosage regime is likely to require adjustment according to the activity of the disease and susceptibility to side effects.
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Nuki, G., Jasani, M.K., Wilson Downie, W. et al. Clinico-pharmacological studies on depot tetracosactrin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Pharmacol. Clin. 2, 99–108 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00420715
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00420715