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Review
. 2013 May;25(3):384-90.
doi: 10.1097/BOR.0b013e32835fc62e.

Newest clinical trial results with antitumor necrosis factor and nonantitumor necrosis factor biologics for rheumatoid arthritis

Iris Navarro-Millán  1 , Jeffrey R Curtis
Affiliations
Review

Newest clinical trial results with antitumor necrosis factor and nonantitumor necrosis factor biologics for rheumatoid arthritis

Iris Navarro-Millán et al. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2013 May.

Abstract

Purpose of review: To highlight recent evidence from the clinical trials of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and non anti-TNF biologics for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) focused on comparative clinical efficacy including safety outcomes and medication discontinuation.

Recent findings: Patients with RA are sometimes able to attain low disease activity or remission since the introduction of biologic therapy for RA. Biologics like anti-TNF, anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6), anti-CD20 and those that modulate T-cell co-stimulation have consistently shown good efficacy in patients with RA. Preliminary data from comparative efficacy studies to evaluate the potential differences between anti-TNF and non anti-TNF biologics have shown little differences among these. There is ongoing work in comparative efficacy to answer this question further.

Summary: Biologic therapy in RA has significantly changed the course of RA in the last decade. Recently published clinical trials have been focused on comparative efficacy, cardiovascular safety of biologics and potential anti-TNF therapy discontinuation in patients with RA.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proportion of patients receiving methotrexate and placebo (empty circles) or golimumab 2mg/kg intravenously and methotrexate (black squares) achieving ACR20 (A), ACR50 (B) and ACR70 (C) responses over time through week 24. ACR20, ACR50 and ACR 70- American College of Rheumatology 20%, 50% and 70% response criteria, MTX = methotrexate (2).
Figure 2
Figure 2
DAS and HAQ scores for tight-control vs. conventional care treatment approaches in patients with only moderately active rheumatoid arthritis. Upper: mean DAS at each time point. Middle: remission rates (percentage of patients with DAS < 1.6) at each time point. Bottom: median HAQ scores at baseline, 1 and 2 years. Open dots represent the tight-control group and closed dots represent the conventional care group (17).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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