ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2026.03.008
Clinical Effect of Sulfasalazine and Leflunomide in the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Jiu Zhao1,*, Zihong Bao2
1Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 515000, Guangdong, China.
2Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650000, Yunnan, China.
*Corresponding author: Jiu Zhao
Published: March 6,2026
Abstract
Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common rheumatic disease with a remarkably high incidence in young adults aged 15 to 30 years and a high risk of disability. It progresses rapidly, not only affecting the axial joints but also potentially causing severe damage to peripheral visceral organs and other peripheral joints. This impairs patients' ability to perform daily living and work activities and compromises their quality of life. Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of sulfasalazine combined with leflunomide in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: A total of 300 AS patients from multiple medical centers between March 2022 and July 2025 were enrolled and divided into two groups with 150 cases in each according to different treatment regimens. The control group was treated with sulfasalazine alone, while the study group received the combined medication regimen (sulfasalazine plus leflunomide). Relevant indicators, including adverse drug reactions, spinal mobility, chest expansion, spinal pain, inflammatory factors, and disease activity index, were collected and compared between the two groups to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of the two regimens. Results: The total effective rate of AS treatment in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the incidence of adverse drug reactions was slightly higher in the study group, with no statistical significance (P>0.05). Compared with the baseline in the same group, the spinal mobility and chest expansion of AS patients were significantly improved at 6 months after treatment; the chest expansion of the study group was increased, and the spinal mobility parameters were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). At 6 months after treatment, the visual analog scale (VAS) score for spinal pain and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) in the study group decreased significantly, with statistically significant differences compared with the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the baseline in the same group, the levels of inflammatory factors in both groups decreased after treatment (P<0.05), and the reduction amplitudes of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the study group were greater than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The combined use of sulfasalazine and leflunomide achieves better therapeutic effects in the treatment of AS with controllable adverse drug reactions. It exerts positive effects in alleviating postoperative inflammatory response, improving spinal mobility, and thoracic expansion capacity.
Keywords
Sulfasalazine; Leflunomide; Ankylosing spondylitis; Clinical efficacy; Inflammatory factors; Spinal mobility; Safety
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How to cite this paper
Clinical Effect of Sulfasalazine and Leflunomide in the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis
How to cite this paper: Jiu Zhao, Zihong Bao. (2026) Clinical Effect of Sulfasalazine and Leflunomide in the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Research, 10(2), 106-110.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2026.03.008