Olsalazine (2 g/day) and sulphasalazine (3 g/day) were compared in a double blind three centre trial in 37 patients presenting with first attack of distal colitis. Sigmoidoscopic appearances, rectal biopsies, and symptom and stool diary records were used to assess benefit and adverse effects. Both groups showed a similar decrease in stool frequency (p less than 0.001). The proportion of unforme...

Prostaglandin synthetase activity in rectal biopsy specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis has been shown to fall on treatment with sulphasalazine, local steroids, and codeine phosphate. In vitro studies have shown that sulphasalazine is an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase, although less potent than indomethacin, whereas prednisolone and codeine phosphate were inactive. It is sugge...

Hepatotoxicity is a rare complication of sulphasalazine therapy in ulcerative colitis. This report describes two rheumatoid patients in whom raised serum levels of liver enzymes occurred soon after starting sulphasalazine treatment for their arthritis. In both cases the serum enzyme levels returned to normal after stopping the drug. Drug-induced hepatotoxicity should be considered in patients w...

EDITORIAL SYNOPSIS This paper provides further evidence that sulphasalazine is an effective agent in the treatment of mild or moderate colitis. There was a high incidence of gastrointestinal side-effects and one patient developed haemolytic anaemia. Sulphasalazine (salicylazosulphapyridine, Salazo-pyrin, Asulfidine) was first used by Svartz (1942) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Later...

BACKGROUND: Drug-induced agranulocytosis, a severe side effect marked by a deficit or absolute lack of granulocytic white blood cells, is a rare side-effect of the anti-inflammatory drug sulphasalazine. Mutations in the human neutrophil elastase gene (ELA2), causing increased intracellular concentration of this serine protease, inhibits neutrophil differentiation in severe congenital neutropeni...

Background: 5-Aminosalicylates are extensively prescribed for the treatment of ulcerative colitis but have a wide range of described adverse effects. Aims: To determine whether serious adverse effect profiles differ for sulphasalazine and mesalazine. Methods: Analysis of suspected serious adverse reactions reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines of the UK in 1991–1998. Adverse effect p...

Sulphasalazine, one of the 5-amino-salicylates, is widely used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and arthritis. Among the reported adverse effects are blood dyscrasias and hepatic failure. Peripheral neuropathy has been reported as a rare adverse drug reaction to sulphasalazine. Most reported patients developed symptoms several weeks after onset of treatment. We describe a patien...

The place of sulphasalazine in the management of rheumatoid arthritis over prolonged periods of time has been compared and contrasted with that of sodium aurothiomalate. One hundred and forty-three patients (59 on sulphasalazine, 84 on sodium aurothiomalate) have been treated for periods of up to 42 months. Sulphasalazine is highly effective for some patients, though probably less frequently th...

We studied the in vitro effect of indomethacin, hydrocortisone, sulphasalazine, and its metabolites sulphapyridine (SP) and 5-amino salicylic acid (5-ASA) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 49 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and 34 controls. Indomethacin caused a highly significant increase in the PBMC response to the mitogen PHA-P compared with controls (P less than 0.0...

We describe a 65-year-old woman with eosinophilic pneumonitis induced by sulphasalazine. Laboratory findings revealed peripheral eosinophilia. The chest X-ray showed bilateral infiltrations, which disappeared after sulphasalazine was discontinued.