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A Randomized Double Blind, Placebo Controlled
Trial of Topical Tripterygium wilfordii in
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Reanalysis Using Logistic Regression Analysis
JOLANDA CIBERE, ZHAOZHI DENG, YUANCHANG LIN, RUNMEI OU, YITING HE, ZHIQIANG WANG, ANONA THORNE, ALLEN J. LEHMAN, IAN K. TSANG, and JOHN M. ESDAILE
ABSTRACT. Methods. A 6 week randomized double blind placebo controlled study of 61 patients with RA meeting American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria was conducted in China. The primary outcome was a modified ACR-20 response rate, analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results. The modified ACR-20 response rate differed significantly (topical TW 58% vs placebo 20%; p = 0.002). There was an 8.1-fold (95% CI 1.9-35.4) increase in the modified ACR-20 response for the TW compared to the placebo group, adjusted for age and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Conclusion. Topical TW appears efficacious for the treatment of RA, but larger studies are needed. (J Rheumatol 2003;30:465-7) Key Indexing Terms:
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
From the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada and the Canadian HIV Trials Network; and the Departments of Medicine and Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; and the Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. Dr. Cibere was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Clinician Scientist Award. J. Cibere, MD, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Clinician Scientist Fellow, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, and PhD Candidate, Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of BC; Z. Deng, MB, Chief Physician; Y. Lin, MB, Deputy Researcher; R. Ou, Assistant Researcher; Y. He, MM, Deputy Chief Physician; Z. Wang, MM, Resident, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; A. Thorne, MSc, Senior Biostatistician, Canadian HIV Trials Network, Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of BC; A.J. Lehman, MA, Research Associate, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada; I.K. Tsang, MB, Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of BC, Director, Division of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada; J.M. Esdaile, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine, University of BC, Scientific Director, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada. Address reprint requests to Dr. J. Esdaile, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, 895 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L7, Canada. Submitted August 8, 2001; revision accepted September 10, 2002. |