Study: Triple Therapy Proves More Effective for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Results of a new study show a triple therapy treatment of methotrexate,
hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine is more effective and well-tolerated in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The two-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 171 patients who were given one of three combinations of the study medications.

The researchers, reporting in Arthritis and Rheumatism, found that patients receiving triple therapy responded best, with 78 percent achieving a 20 percent improvement at two years.

Comparatively, only 60 percent of those treated with methotrexate and
hydroxychloroquine – and 49 percent who were treated with methotrexate and sulfasalazine – achieved a 20 percent improvement

"The triple combination is well-tolerated, and its efficacy is superior to
that of the double combination of methotrexate and sulfasalazine and is
marginally superior to that of the double combination of methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine," they concluded.

Other sources: Arthritis and Rheumatism