In a nutshell This study investigated the risk of malignancy in patients treated with biological disease-modifying drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (bDMARDs). They found that patients receiving bDMARDs to treat early rheumatoid arthritis have a reduced risk of malignancy overall. Some background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic condition...
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Is baricitinib a safe and effective medication for rheumatoid arthritis?
In a nutshell This study investigated if baricitinib is a safe and effective medication for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. They found that baricitinib improved disease symptoms and was well-tolerated over a 128-week period. Some background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition. In RA there is an increase in...
Read MoreCan low disease activity be maintained in early rheumatoid arthritis without adalimumab?
In a nutshell This study investigated if low disease activity could be maintained in early rheumatoid arthritis following discontinuation of long-term adalimumab. They found that the majority of patients that discontinued adalimumab maintained low disease activity after 3 years. Some background Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease...
Read MoreAdherence with oral bisphosphonates in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
In a nutshell This study examined adherence with oral bisphosphonates (BPs) in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It was determined that adherence was low in these patients. Some background RA is a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the joints (connections between bones). There are two types of RA; seropositive and...
Read MoreA comparison of biological treatments for juvenile arthritis
In a nutshell This study compared effectiveness and safety of the biological drugs etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira), and tocilizumab (Actemra) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The authors concluded that there were no significant differences in effectiveness. Some background Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a...
Read MoreAnti-TNF therapy: Predictors of success
In a nutshell The study examined predictors of treatment success with anti-TNF drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The authors concluded that immune response and the presence of a protein in the blood can predict treatment outcomes with anti-TNF drugs. Some background In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system attacks the healthy joints the...
Read MoreWhat is next for RA patients who have not responded to conventional treatment?
In a nutshell This study compared the effectiveness of two different treatments in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who have not responded well to conventional treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The authors concluded that changing to a biological drug showed better remission rates than switching to an alternative...
Read MorePatient-reported side effects associated with methotrexate treatment for rheumatoid arthritis
In a nutshell This study looked at patient-reported side effects associated with methotrexate (Rheumatrex) when taken in tablet form or by injection for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The authors concluded that there are a number of side effects associated with both forms of methotrexate that may not be recorded during routine treatment. Some background...
Read MoreComparing treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis unresponsive to anti-TNF drugs
In a nutshell This study compared the effectiveness of different biological drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have already been unresponsive to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment. The authors concluded that a non-TNF biological treatment was more effective at lowering disease activity than taking a second anti-TNF...
Read MoreIs it possible to predict if a patient will respond well to tocilizumab?
In a nutshell The study aimed to identify the features that are associated with a better response to tocilizumab (Actemra) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The authors concluded that patients who experience RA in areas other than the joints (extra-articular) are significantly more likely to respond well to tocilizumab. Some...
Read MorePatient-reported outcomes during treatment with tofacitinib
In a nutshell This study looked at patient reported outcomes during treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with tofacitinib (Xeljanz). Patients receiving tofacitinib reported significant improvements after 3 months of treatment compared to patients receiving a placebo (substance with no effect on the body). Some background...
Read MoreAre non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs associated with small intestinal injury?
In a nutshell This study assessed the association between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and small intestinal injury in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The authors concluded that there was a higher rate of small intestinal injury in patients treated with NSAIDs. Some background Patients with rheumatoid...
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