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Order of DMARD taper showed no impact on drug-free remission in rheumatoid arthritis
Key clinical point: The order in which disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were tapered did not affect flares, disease activity, or quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in remission after 2 years.
Major finding: No significant differences appeared in flares, disease activity, or quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients 2 years after they tapered either conventional synthetic DMARDs first or TNF inhibitors first; overall, 15% of patients achieved DMARD-free remission.
Study details: The data come from the randomized TApering strategies in Rheumatoid Arthritis (TARA) trial of 189 adults with rheumatoid arthritis.
Disclosures: The study was supported by a grant from ZonMw. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
van Mulligen E et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2020 June 1. doi: 10.1136/ annrheumdis-2020-217485.