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Tight control is important in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with an anti-tumor necrosis factor biological agent: prospective study of 91 cases who used a biological agent for more than 1 year

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Modern Rheumatology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that require arthroplasty due to the progression of joint destruction, even when an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biological agent is used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Among 91 cases that used the anti-TNF biological agent for more than 1 year, two groups of 21 cases that resulted in arthroplasty (surgery group) and 70 cases that did not result in arthroplasty (non-surgery group) were compared and examined. When the anti-TNF biological agent was first administered, disease activity and internal use of glucocorticoid (PSL) were not different in these two groups. The average DAS28-CRP(4) (disease activity score including a 28-joint count/C-reactive protein) (p < 0.001) and the amount of internal use of PSL (p < 0.05) were significantly decreased in the non-surgery group compared with the surgery group at the final survey. To inhibit the need for joint surgery in patients using the anti-TNF biological agent, it is important to maintain tight control over RA activity.

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Correspondence to Hiroshige Sano.

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Sano, H., Arai, K., Murai, T. et al. Tight control is important in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with an anti-tumor necrosis factor biological agent: prospective study of 91 cases who used a biological agent for more than 1 year. Mod Rheumatol 19, 390–394 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10165-009-0177-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10165-009-0177-x

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