Intraarticular Etanercept versus Saline in Rheumatoid Arthritis:A Single Injection Double Blind Placebo Controlled Study

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Intraarticular Etanercept versus Saline in Rheumatoid Arthritis:A Single

Injection Double Blind Placebo Controlled Study

Category:  17 RA‹treatment

G Osborn

Cleveland Clinic, Naples, FL

Presentation Number: 1385

Poster Board Number: 340

Keywords: etanercept, intraarticular, rheumatoid

Twenty patients with acute rheumatoid arthritis received 12.5mg of

Etanercept or saline intraarticularly into a single swollen joint with

active rheumatoid synovitis. Ten patients received Etanercept and 10

patients received saline. Both patient and physician were blinded. The

target joint was scored for swelling, tenderness, range of motion, and pain

during range of motion before, 4 weeks after and 16 weeks after the

injection.

Results showed of the 10 who received Etanercept, 9 had marked decreased

target joint swelling at 4 weeks compared to 1 who received saline (P<0.01).

Tenderness was not significantly improved in those receiving Etanercept (3)

versus saline (0). Target joint pain during range of motion decreased in 9

patients who received Etanercept and 5 who received saline (P=NS). Range of

motion improved more than 20 degrees in 5 Etanercept recipients and 0 saline

recipients (P<0.01). There were no adverse events. There was no noted effect

on other joints or surrounding tissues.

Results at 16 weeks showed of the 10 patients who received Etanercept, 6

continued to have decreased joint swelling compared to 0 who receive saline

(P<0.01). Tenderness was unchanged at 16 weeks. Range of motion remained

improved in 5 Etanercept recipients and 0 saline (P<0.01). Pain during range

of motion remained decreased in 4 Etanercept and 1 saline (P=NS).

It was concluded that a single intraarticular injection of Etanercept could

improve swelling, tenderness, and range of motion in a joint with rheumatoid

synovitis.