EULAR Definition of Difficult-to-Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Nagy G, Roodenrijs NMT, Welsing PMJ, Kedves M, Hamar A, van der Goes MC, Kent A, Bakkers M, et al.
Ann Rheum Dis 2021;80:31–35.

A significant proportion of people with RA remain symptomatic despite treatment according to current management recommendations. Different terms have traditionally been used to describe this subpopulation, including severe, refractory, resistant to multiple drugs or treatments, established and difficult-to-treat. A recent survey indicated that – in addition to new drugs – new management approaches are needed for optimal treatment in these patients. A EULAR Task Force agreed the unifo...

Keywords: JAK

Radiographic Joint Damage in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: Comparing Tocilizumab- and Methotrexate-based Treat-to-target Strategies

Teitsma X, Jacobs JWG, Welsing PMJ, Pethӧ-Schramm A, Borm MEA, van Laar JM, Lafeber FPJG, Bijlsma JWJ.
Rheumatology (Oxford) 2018; 57(2):309–17

Tocilizumab (TCZ) therapy in DMARD-naïve patients with RA, is more effective at reducing erosion progression, particularly in the feet, compared with treat-to-target methotrexate (MTX) therapy. This analysis looked at radiographic joint damage, including separate examination of erosion progression and joint space narrowing (JSN) in the hands and feet of patients enrolled in the U-Act-Early trial. Radiographic damage is a common symptom of RA, with treat-to-target strategies aimed at pre...

Keywords: IL-6, Tocilizumab, Clinical, Radiographic

Patient-Reported Outcomes in Newly Diagnosed Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Treated to Target with a Tocilizumab- or Methotrexate-based Strategy

Teitsma XM, Jacobs JWG, Welsing PMJ, Pethö-Schramm A, Borm MEA, Hendriks L, Denissen NHAM, van Laar JM, Lafeber FPJG, Bijlsma JWJ.
Rheumatology (Oxford) 2017 Dec 1;56(12):2179-2189 doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kex319

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) vastly improved in the first 24 weeks post-initiation of tocilizumab (TCZ) therapies compared to methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy in the U-Act-Early trial. U-Act-Early was a two-year, treat-to-target study that compared the safety and efficacy of TCZ and MTX treatment strategies in DMARD-naïve patients with early RA. Sustained remission was classed as more effective in patients given TCZ monotherapy or combination therapy with MTX compared to MTX alone. TCZ th...

Keywords: IL-6, Tocilizumab, Clinical, PRO