Key clinical point: Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who initiated biological vs. triple therapy after inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX) were more likely to achieve sustained remission (SR).
Major finding: Patients initiating biological vs. triple therapy were more likely to achieve short-term and long-term SR at 1 year (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-2.71 and aOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.00-3.48, respectively) and 2 years (aOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.21-3.06 and aOR, 1.62; 95% CI, 0.94-2.79, respectively) from treatment initiation.
Study details : Findings are from an analysis of 1,502 patients with relatively early RA who initiated biological (biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs+MTX; n=1,155) or triple (MTX+sulfasalazine+hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine; n=347) therapy as the first treatment strategy after inadequate response to MTX monotherapy.
Disclosures: This work funded by the Swedish Rheumatism Association, the Medical Faculty of Lund University, Alfred Österlund ́s Foundation, Greta and Johan Kock ́s foundation, the King Gustaf V Foundation, Lund University Hospital, Professor Nanna Svartz Foundation, and Anna-Greta Crafoord Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: Källmark H et al. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021 Mar 7. doi: 10.1002/art.41720 .