In the long term, methotrexate and sulfasalazine administered in combination appear to be no more beneficial than either drug administered alone for the early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
No surprise here. I have great disdain for nearly all rheumatologists as I believe that this is the only specialty in medicine that has absolutely no reason to exist. They only prescribe symptomatic therapies that in no way, shape or form treat the cause of disease, and most of the drugs they recommend wind up devastating the health of those with RA.
Fortunately, there are effective alternatives. I have treated over 3,000 patients with RA, and the vast majority of them seem to do better with simple nutrition-based solutions. It is very rare where I actually need to prescribe drugs for most patients.
If you know someone with RA please have them review my comprehensive program for treating RA.
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases August 2003