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Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of treatment with methotrexate, sulphasalazine and aurothiomalate on polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Circulating PMNs from 58 RA patients treated with either methotrexate (n = 27), sulphasalazine (n= 16) or aurothiomalate (n = 15) were assayed for their chemotactic capacity and generation of superoxide anions. The expression of CD18/CDllb was measured for 17 RA patients treated with methotrexate. Chemotaxis and generation of superoxide anions were not affected by any of the three drugs. We found no difference in the expression of CD18/CDllb in RA patients treated with methotrexate compared to healthy subjects. Further methotrexate and aurothiomalate did not in vitro alter chemotaxis, generation of superoxide anion or expression of CD18/CDllb on normal PMNs.
In conclusion we found no evidence that the effect of methotrexate, aurothiomalate or sulphasalazine in RA can be explained by modulation of chemotactic ability or superoxide anion generation of peripheral circulating PMNs.