Evaluating the effects of oral Selenium as a adjuvant therapy on controling clinical symptoms in rhumatoid arthritis Patients

Evaluation of the relationship between selenium consumption and the reduction of clinical symptoms and joint pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

This study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in 70 patients with arthritis rheumatoid that referred to rheumatology clinic of Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran.

The first group of patients with standard rheumatoid arthritis interventions and treatments, will receive century company selenium at a dose of 200 µg twice a day for 12 weeks and the second group will receive standard treatments with placebo. Placebo medicine is prepared by Barij Essence Pharmaceutical Company of Kashan. Placebo has all the components of the drug except selenium.

Inclusion criteria: Patients with diagnosis of active arthritis rheumatoid; Patients more than 18 years and less than 65 years; Patients with moderate to severe active disease. Exclusion criteria: Patients with active infection; Patients with mild active disease.

In intervention group, patients in addition to standard regimen for RA will receive selenium 200 µg twice a day for 12 weeks and placebo group will receive standard regimen with placebo.

Assessment of clinical symptoms

Randomization is done by permutation block method. In each block, according to the sample size, five patients are admitted. Random allocation help software is also used.

All participants in the study, including participants, clinical caregivers, researchers, etc., are kept blind. Of course, before starting the study, informed consent is obtained from the participants. But because drugs and placebo are similar in shape and different in content, practically no one knows their true nature.