The role of systemic enzymotherapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Mazourov V.I., Lila A.M., Klimko N.N., Raimue K.V., Makulova T.G.
The role of systemic enzymotherapy in the treatment of rheumatoid
arthritis. Reumatologia 1998, Suppl Vol. XXXVI, Warsaw 1998,
Lectures No. 211, pp 108-110 ISSN 0034-6233. 619 KA (19-09-2).
Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Military Medical Academy,
City Rheumatological Center, St. Petersburg, Russia. 2nd Central
European Congress of Rheumatology, 13-16 May, 1998, Warsaw, Poland
Frequent
side effects of the basic medications demand the search for new
therapeutic agents in the treatment of the patients with rheumatoid
arthritis.
For this purpose we included medications of systemic enzymotherapy
(Wobenzym and Phlogenzym) in the complex treatment of RA, which
possess the properties of both basic medications and symptomatic
antiinflammatory agents.
156 patients with RA (53 males and 103 females) aged 18-69,
suffering from the RA for 3 months to 29 years (at average 105
months) have been studied. RA of articular type was diagnosed in 28
cases and the disease of articular-visceral type - in 128 cases.
All patients underwent routine clinical (duration of stiffness in
the morning, Ritchie and Lee indices etc.) and laboratory studies
(erythrocyte sedimentation rate - ESR, circulating immune complexes
- CIC, rheumatoid factor - RF, immunoglobulins etc.) In addition,
levels of IL-1b and TNF-a in blood serum as well as interferon
status (serum interferon (INF) concentration, stimulated production
of INF-a and INF-g ) were determined in 36 cases with RA. The
patients studied were divided into 2 groups: the first (65 patients)
were given NSAID, methotrexate in the dosage of 7.5-10 mg/weekly,
the second (91 patients) were given NSAID, methotrexate and Wobenzym
in the dosage of 21 - 30 dragee daily depending upon the degree of
disease activity. Supporting dosage of the medication was 15 dragee
daily.
Besides, 14 patients with RA of the 2-nd group with RA activity of
the 3-rd degree were given Phlogenzym in the dosage of 2 tablets 3
times a day in the first 1.5-2 months and then Wobenzym in the
dosage of 21 dragee a day. 35 patients have been taking systemic
enzymotherapeutic medications for a year and more, 53 patients for
5-12 months, 18 patients - for 2-6 months.