Colchicine or Prednisone for Acute Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystal Arthritis: Results from the COLCHICORT Randomized Trial

Jun 5, 2026

Upload by Logic

Acute calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal arthritis causes severe joint pain, primarily in older patients, and current management largely depends on expert opinion. The COLCHICORT randomized open-label equivalence trial compared low-dose colchicine with oral prednisone in hospitalized patients. The primary endpoint was 24-hour change in joint pain assessed by a 0–100 mm VAS, using a prespecified equivalence margin. Colchicine and prednisone showed equivalent short-term pain efficacy, with distinct adverse-event profiles.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

Abstract

Background

Methods

Findings

Interpretation

Funding

Keywords

FAQs

What was the main goal of the COLCHICORT trial?

To compare the short-term efficacy and safety of low-dose colchicine versus oral prednisone for treating acute CPP crystal arthritis.

How was treatment response and the primary endpoint measured?

Pain at baseline and at 24 hours was measured using a 0–100 mm VAS; the primary outcome was the change in joint pain at 24 hours.

Did colchicine and prednisone show equivalent effectiveness?

Yes. The change in VAS pain at 24 hours was similar between groups, meeting the trial’s equivalence criterion, with comparable responder proportions at 24 and 48 hours.

Jun 5, 2026

Upload by Logic