In a nutshell This study looked at the risk of developing lower intestinal perforations (tears) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab (Actemra). The authors concluded that tocilizumab treatment increases the risk of lower intestinal perforations compared to other treatments. Some background One problem encountered by some...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The study looked at the association between biological drug treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the risk of melanoma (skin cancer). The authors concluded that there was no increased risk of melanoma in RA patients receiving treatment with biologics. Some background In RA, the immune system attacks the healthy joints...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The study looked at the long-term risks associated with adalimumab (Humira) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The authors concluded that no additional long-term risks related to serious infections, response to vaccines or birth defects have been found. Some background In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system attacks the...
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In a nutshell The study looked at the immune response of patients with rheumatoid arthritis to certolizumab pegol (Cimzia) and the effect this has on response to the drug. The authors concluded that patients who develop an immune response to certolizumab pegol have lower levels of the drug in their system after 12 months, and that higher levels...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the long-term safety of rituximab (Rituxan) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers reported that prolonged and repeated use of rituximab is safe and well-tolerated. Some background RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to inflammation of the joints. Rituximab is an immune-modifying...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study examined the link between biological drugs and serious infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The authors concluded that patients treated with biological drugs have a lower risk of mortality and sepsis after a serious infection. Some background In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system attacks the healthy...
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In a nutshell This study explored the use of specific hand exercises to improve hand function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The results showed that a tailored hand exercise program improved hand strength and flexibility. Some background RA is a chronic autoimmune disease (when the immune system attacks healthy tissue) that causes...
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In a nutshell This study examined whether adding infliximab (Remicade) to a combination of treatments improved long-term outcome in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study concluded that a combination of treatments resulted in disease remission and prevented the disease from getting worse. Adding infliximab did not improve remission...
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In a nutshell The authors analyzed the effect of tofacitinib (Xeljanz) in controlling inflammation of the synovium (joint lining) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some background In RA, the immune system begins attacking healthy tissue the way it normally attacks viruses or bacteria. This can cause inflammation, leading to chronic...
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In a nutshell The authors investigated the effect of etanercept (Enbrel) dose change on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some background In RA, high levels of immune system protein are generated, which causes inflammation, leading to chronic pain. Several studies indicated that etanercept in combination...
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In a nutshell The authors evaluated the effect of tofacitinib (Xeljanz) on kidney function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Some background In RA, high levels of immune system proteins are generated. This causes inflammation, leading to chronic pain and joint damage. In several phase III clinical...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors compared the effectiveness and safety of SB2, a biological variant of infliximab (Remicade) — the original biological product, to infliximab itself in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some background In RA, high levels of immune system protein are generated...
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