Intra-articular injections of hydrocortisone, prednisolone, and their tertiary-butylacetate derivatives in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

1.1. Seven hundred ninety intra-articular injections of F, FTBA, ΔF, and ΔFTBA were compared in 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.2.2. Dosages varied from 5 to 100 mg. with 25 mg. the most frequently administered dose.3.3. No significant difference in response to the four steroids could be demonstrated when 25 mg. doses were compared.4.4. Fifteen, 20, and 100 mg. doses of ΔF and ΔFTBA and larger than 25 mg. doses of F and FTBA were limited in number, but produced the same improvement as the 25 mg. dose.5.5. Seventy-five per cent of joints with rheumatoid arthritis and 84 per cent with osteoarthritis showed satisfactory improvement.6.6. Duration of improvement averaged 2 to 3 weeks.