Use of a treat-to-target (T2T) strategy focused on low disease activity scores (DAS) or DAS remission resulted in sustained achievement of these treatment goals and limited functional disability at 12 and 20 years of follow-up among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and undifferentiated arthritis (UA), according to study results published in Rheumatology. The previously published BeSt and IMPROVED trials evaluated the use of specific T2T strategies, with the goal of achieving low disease activity (DAS ≤2.4) and drug-free remission (DAS <1.6), respectively. Results from these studies d ..read more

The possibility of adverse pregnancy outcomes was increased among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking methotrexate and leflunomide during the 3 months before conception, according to study results published in Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases Open. Researchers examined medication usage patterns and identified factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes among patients with RA. Data were taken from the National Health Insurance system in Korea. Women with RA aged between 20 and 50 years who had at least 1 pregnancy-related medical record code between 2010 and 2020 were ..read more

The incidences of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE) were higher among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving tofacitinib vs tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, with rates remaining consistent over a time period spanning more than 54 months, according to study results published in Arthritis & Rheumatology. Results of the previously published randomized, open-label, noninferiority, phase 3b/4, safety endpoint ORAL Surveillance trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02092467) revealed a dose-dependent increase in the incidences of VTE and PE among patie ..read more

Results of a long-term observational extension study do not support the systematic use of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided treat-to-target (T2T) strategy among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are in remission, according to study results published in Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases Open. The 2-year IMAGINE-RA trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01656278) compared the use of an MRI-guided T2T strategy — targeting the absence of osteitis and achievement of clinical remission — vs a conventional T2T strategy focused solely on achieving clinical remission among pa ..read more

Among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were naïve to methotrexate (MTX) or inadequately responsive to MTX or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDS), MTX plus daily filgotinib reduced pain more effectively when compared with daily MTX plus adalimumab or MTX alone after 2 weeks of treatment. Treatment with daily filgotinib also shortened the time required to achieve substantial pain reduction, according to results of a post‑hoc analysis published in Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases Open. Patients with active RA are often in significant pain. As a result, th ..read more

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) may function as an independent predictor of disease activity, according to study results published in Clinical Rheumatology. The Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) is commonly used to evaluate RA disease activity; previous studies have explored the use of various laboratory parameters to assess inflammation severity and activity in RA and other conditions. Utilizing a prospective, cross-sectional study design, researchers explored the relationship between the PNI and disease activity among patients with RA. The s ..read more

The risk of contracting an osteoarticular infection following Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia was increased among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with orthopedic implants and current tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor use doubling the risk, according to study results published in Rheumatology. Researchers in Denmark conducted a nationwide cohort study to investigate the 90-day cumulative incidence of osteoarticular infections and mortality among patients with and without RA who contracted S aureus bacteremia. They also aimed to identify the risk factors for osteoarticular infectio ..read more

First Nations individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) living in remote communities face significant barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare. Women, in particular, experience greater difficulties in accessing healthcare regardless of RA diagnosis. These findings were reported in The Journal of Rheumatology. Researchers performed a longitudinal study to assess the self-reported access to healthcare among First Nations individuals in Canada living with RA. The study cohort included First Nations individuals with RA and their first-degree relatives who were recruited from remote and urban ..read more

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), reduced T-cell (Tregs) levels and heightened levels of inflammatory biomarkers were predictive of disease flares during tapering of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) therapy, according to study results published in ACR Open Rheumatology. Stable bMDARD treatment was associated with higher pain indicators and ultrasound-detected inflammation, offering insights for targeted tapering and enhanced monitoring. Attaining clinical remission in RA is crucial, yet tapering bDMARDs after achieving stable remission raises concerns for diseas ..read more

The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was similar between patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to study findings published in Seminars in Arthritis & Rheumatism. Researchers conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using data from the Hospital Authority Data Collaboration Laboratory in Hong Kong, China. The researchers compared the incidence of and factors associated with increased MACE risk among patients with RA and PsA. Patients diagnosed with RA or PsA were recruited from January 2006 to December 2015 and ..read more