Re: Question: Prednisone vs DMARDS

[Guest guest]

Hi Heide. Yes, prednisone may be acting as a DMARD and help prevent damage.

Actually prednisone is one of the most effective medical therapy for RA.

It's the best pain reliever and helps stop erosion. It's to bad they can't

find a way to counteract it's toxicity.

Low-Dose Prednisone Can Slow Joint Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.som.jhmi.edu/news-archive/2002/prednisone.html

a

> Hi Everyone,

> I’ve been reading the posts on early treatment with DMARDS improving your

> long term prospects and preventing damage. As you know I can’t take any

> DMARDs till I’ve had a baby and have been on Prednisone since I was

> diagnosed over a year ago. My question is, will the Prednisone help prevent

> the damage and progression of the disease as well as the DMARDS? I know

> long term it’s bad because of the side effects but for now is it controlling

> and slowing the disease as well as DMARDS would?

> Does anyone know the answer to this?

> Hugs,

> Heidi

>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

This is a good link and interesting study, Heidi (Hello, Heidi, I hope you don't

think I've been ignoring you!) and a, but it is important to make sure to

read the editorial comments, especially this part:

" However, subjects receiving 10 mg prednisone daily still progressed at 8 Sharp

units/yr. While this was lower than the placebo rate of 15 units/yr, it is much

higher than the rates observed in recent studies in patients treated with

methotrexate, etanercept, infliximab + methotrexate, or leflunomide. With these

DMARDs, rates of progression are in the range of 0-2 units/yr. Each Sharp unit

represents the equivalent of one erosion (or worsening of one erosion) or

progression in joint space narrowing in one joint. Eight erosions, or

progression of narrowing of eight joints, per year as demonstrated on prednisone

treated subjects in this study, would not be acceptable given the higher

superiority of the DMARDs listed above. Thus, the recommendation by the authors

that prednisone should be adjunctive, rather than monotherapy, is appropriate. "

Re: [ ] Question: Prednisone vs DMARDS

Hi Heide. Yes, prednisone may be acting as a DMARD and help prevent damage.

Actually prednisone is one of the most effective medical therapy for RA.

It's the best pain reliever and helps stop erosion. It's to bad they can't

find a way to counteract it's toxicity.

Low-Dose Prednisone Can Slow Joint Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.som.jhmi.edu/news-archive/2002/prednisone.html

a

> Hi Everyone,

> I've been reading the posts on early treatment with DMARDS improving your

> long term prospects and preventing damage. As you know I can't take any

> DMARDs till I've had a baby and have been on Prednisone since I was

> diagnosed over a year ago. My question is, will the Prednisone help prevent

> the damage and progression of the disease as well as the DMARDS? I know

> long term it's bad because of the side effects but for now is it controlling

> and slowing the disease as well as DMARDS would?

> Does anyone know the answer to this?

> Hugs,

> Heidi

[Guest guest]

Thanks for clarifying this . I¹ve read that the DMARD benefits of

prednisone only seem to be temporary, but hopefully it will protect Heidi

somewhat while she is trying to get pregnant.

It¹s to bad there are not a lot of choices for someone trying to have a

baby.

a

> This is a good link and interesting study, Heidi (Hello, Heidi, I hope you

> don't

> think I've been ignoring you!) and a, but it is important to make sure to

> read the editorial comments, especially this part:

>

> " However, subjects receiving 10 mg prednisone daily still progressed at 8

> Sharp

> units/yr. While this was lower than the placebo rate of 15 units/yr, it is

> much

> higher than the rates observed in recent studies in patients treated with

> methotrexate, etanercept, infliximab + methotrexate, or leflunomide. With

> these

> DMARDs, rates of progression are in the range of 0-2 units/yr. Each Sharp unit

> represents the equivalent of one erosion (or worsening of one erosion) or

> progression in joint space narrowing in one joint. Eight erosions, or

> progression of narrowing of eight joints, per year as demonstrated on

> prednisone

> treated subjects in this study, would not be acceptable given the higher

> superiority of the DMARDs listed above. Thus, the recommendation by the

> authors

> that prednisone should be adjunctive, rather than monotherapy, is

> appropriate. "

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi a,

Thanks so much for the reply, it put my mind a bit more at ease. You are

our shiny star!

Hugs,

Heidi

a wrote:

Hi Heide. Yes, prednisone may be acting as a DMARD and help prevent damage.

Actually prednisone is one of the most effective medical therapy for RA.

It's the best pain reliever and helps stop erosion. It's to bad they can't

find a way to counteract it's toxicity.

Low-Dose Prednisone Can Slow Joint Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.som.jhmi.edu/news-archive/2002/prednisone.html

a

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