OBJECTIVE Characteristics of Canadian RA patients started on anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment were compared with 12 other countries. METHODS Data from the Optimization of HUMIRA trial (OH) were compared with Canadian real world studies [Ontario Biologics Research Initiative (OBRI) and the Real-Life Evaluation of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Canadians Receiving HUMIRA (REACH)], and to dat...

OBJECTIVE To analyze the effect of the TNF blocking agents (aTNF) on the serum levels of interleukin 15 (IL-15). To determine whether baseline IL15 serum levels or their response to aTNF therapy can predict the clinical response to this treatment. PATIENTS AND METHOD We studied 75 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis that were selected to start aTNF therapy. Serum samples were obtaine...

BACKGROUND Treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) may improve outcomes compared to conventional therapy (e.g., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular corticosteroids). The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of DMARDs versus conventional therapy and versus other D...

Objective This study assessed the mode of application (oral, intravenous or subcutaneous (SC)) currently employed in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients from Qatar in comparison with patients' individual preferences for the mode of application of their treatment. Methods This study included 294 RA patients visiting three clinics at the main referral hospital in Qatar who were...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the influence of early disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment on long-term functional outcome in patients with recent-onset inflammatory polyarthritis (IP), and the impact of the duration of first and subsequent DMARD treatment. METHODS 642 subjects from a primary care registry of patients with new-onset IP, recruited 1990-4, were followed up for 10 y...

OBJECTIVE The response to single disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) is often suboptimal in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thus, despite the limited data on the therapeutic efficacy of combination therapies, many patients are currently treated with a combination of DMARDs. METHODS We studied prospectively the efficacy of combination therapy with DMARDs. The study was design...

OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy and safety of low-dose prednisone chronotherapy using a new modified-release (MR) formulation for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS In this 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, patients with active RA (n=350) were randomised 2:1 to receive MR prednisone 5 mg or placebo once daily in the evening in addition to their existing RA dis...

INTRODUCTION Rheumatoid arthritis is clinically very heterogeneous and variable in its progression, and no one treatment works the same for all patients, as this will depend on the clinical course and specific situations. OBJECTIVE To describe the treatment with DMARDs established for the first time in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or persistent arthritis (PA) in routine clinical pr...

OBJECTIVE Few data exist on the use of anti-TNF drugs for AS during routine clinical use in the UK. This report describes an improvement in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) after 6 months of therapy in 261 patients enrolled in a national prospective observational register. METHODS The British Society for Rheum...

Background There is a risk of developing serious complications of varicella zoster infection (VZI) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients receiving disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) including methotrexate and biologic agents [1,2]. Varicella zoster (VZ) immune status should therefore be checked in all children before starting such therapy. Seronegative children mostly recei...