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disease. Some authors have claimed that it softens the skin. Other studies by
equally reputable authors have not found this to be true to any marked or benefi-
cial degree. Some have reported that peripheral skin ulcers were healed, while
others have found that new ulcers appeared even while patients were being treated
with DMSO. Most investigators who have used this drug in the treatment of
scleroderma appear to agree that it has little or no effect on the progression of the
systemic disease.
There has been limited use of DMSO in the treatment of polymyositis and
polyarteitis nodosa. These diseases, however, are life-threatening, and are so defi-
nitely inflammatory in nature that it would be unwise not to treat them vigorously
with anti-inflammatory drugs. I doubt that DMSO would play much of a role in
these conditions.
It might be of some use as an analgesic agent in ankylosing spondylitis.
In acute traumatic injuries, sprains, and other such conditions in which early
analgesic therapy is required, I think that DMSO would have an important role in
therapy, because of the rapidity of its action and the simplicity of its application.
The CHAIRMAN. You are aware of the fact that you indicated in
your statement that DMSO does seem to have efficacy in the
restraint of pain?
Dr. BAUM. Yes. I think DMSO is an analgesic agent.
The CHAIRMAN. And also "in acute traumatic injuries, sprains,
other such conditions in which early analgesic therapy is re-
quired," you think that DMSO would have an important role in
therapy "because of the rapidity of its action and the simplicity of
its application?"
Dr. BAUM. Yes. When I say a role in therapy, I mean I would not
use it by itself. I would use it for its analgesic effect. But I also
would be careful, if it were an ankle, I would pack that ankle in
ice, a good early form of standard therapy. I think several forms of
therapy might be necessary and that would be one of them.
The CHAIRMAN. The area of pain and therapy, are those the only
two areas in which to your present knowledge DMSO has been
helpful?
Dr. BAUM. From the literature that we reviewed and from my
own experience, yes.
The CHAIRMAN. You said in the case of arthritis, you noticed that
it reduced pain but you took measurements of the joints and did
not find any reduction of the inflammation?
Dr. BAUM. This was a study done by the Japanese Rheumatism
Association. It was the largest study of its type and I thought a
particularly well-done study. It had some deficiencies but in gener-
al it was good. They definitely found decrease in pain in the knees,
when they applied DMSO, but they measured and did not find any
decrease in the size of the joint.
The CHAIRMAN. By the way, did you ever use or know of anyone
else using DMSO with respect to shingles?
Dr. BAUM. This was reviewed in the report. I was not responsible
for that part of it. I do not really know too much about its efficacy
in shingles. I think that was controversial too. Some people said it
worked and some said it did not.
The CHAIRMAN. Well, if it would restrain pain in shingles, that
would be quite a relief.
Dr. BAUM. I would think so, yes, I would agree with you.
The CHAIRMAN. I remember hearing my mother's doctor, when
my mother had a severe case of shingles, that a nerve around the
body is inflamed, the doctor made the statement to me and to her
