ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy of low-dose methylprednisolone combined with hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MethodsBetween January 2011 and May 2013, 60 RA patients on their first treatment with a disease course of less than or equal to 2 years were randomly divided to control group and treatment group Ⅰ with 30 patients in each. Patients in both the two groups were given hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate therapy, while the control group was treated with meloxicam (7.5 mg/time, 2 times/d) in addition, and the treatment group one was given methylprednisolone (4 mg/time, 2 times/d) in addition. Another 30 RA patients with a disease course of more than 5 years with no standardized treatment were designated into the treatment group Ⅱ. They accepted the same treatment scheme as treatment group Ⅰ. All the patients were evaluated one week after treatment to assess their clinical symptoms. Twelve weeks before and after treatment, the patients were evaluated on their clinical indicators and immunological indicators. ResultsThe clinical symptoms of patients in treatment group Ⅰ and Ⅱ were rapidly relieved within one week after treatment, and the curative effect was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). Twelve weeks after treatment, the treatment groups were significantly improved compared with the control group in clinical symptoms and DSA28 (P<0.05). The improvement of clinical symptoms and immunological tests in treatment group Ⅰ was more obvious than that in treatment groupⅡ. ConclusionLow-dose methylprednisolone combined with hydroxyl chloroquine and methotrexate can quickly and effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of the patients with RA, and patients with a shorter course of the disease have better clinical efficacy.