A new study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, has found that sulfasalazine seems to help treat the back pain associated with undifferentiated sponyloarthropathy and early ankylosing spondylitis, provided that peripheral arthritis is not present in the patient.

This is contrary to previous research that found the drug more effective in treating peripheral joints than in the back or spine.

The authors state that, "This is the first study to be carried out on the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in patients with undifferentiated spondyloarthritis and early ankylosing spondylitis, with inflammatory back pain being the leading clinical symptom." The go on to conclude that, "Sulfasalazine has for the first time been shown to be effective for axial symptoms in the subgroup of patients without peripheral arthritis and warrants further investigation in this setting."

The drug was found to show that sulfasalazine performed significantly better than placebo at reducing disease activity, spinal pain and morning stiffness, but did not improve inflammation or other measures of physical function.

References: "Efficacy of sulfasalazine in patients with inflammatory back pain due to undifferentiated spondyloarthritis and early ankylosing spondylitis: a multicentre randomised controlled trial". J Braun et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2006;65:1147-1153

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