Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapy and structural damage in early rheumatoid arthritis

The appearance of measurable structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an indicator of disease severity and future disability. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used in combination appear to be more effective than monotherapies at reducing the rate of progressive joint damage d...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical and experimental rheumatology 2003-09, Vol.21 (5 Suppl 31), p.S158-S164
Main Authors: Mullan, R H, Bresnihan, B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use
Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - epidemiology
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - pathology
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Administration Schedule
Drug Therapy, Combination
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use
Ireland - epidemiology
Male
Methotrexate - therapeutic use
Middle Aged
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Risk Assessment
Severity of Illness Index
Treatment Outcome
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The appearance of measurable structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an indicator of disease severity and future disability. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used in combination appear to be more effective than monotherapies at reducing the rate of progressive joint damage during randomized controlled trials. In clinical practice, however, combination DMARD therapy is still largely reserved for patients who have failed to respond to monotherapy. High dose corticosteroid, when given in early disease with combination DMARD therapy, may continue to ameliorate disease severity and progression for years after discontinuation of the high dose. To date, no DMARD combination has totally arrested joint damage in all patients with early RA. Future randomised controlled trials should always include prospective radiographic data as a primary outcome measure.
ISSN:0392-856X