Long-term clinical, functional, and cost outcomes for early rheumatoid arthritis patients who did or did not achieve early remission in a real-world treat-to-target strategy

• DOI: 10.1007/s10067-019-04600-7
• Publication Date: 2019-06-03T09:03:37Z
• Authors: Peter M. ten Kloo...; Martijn A. H. Oud...; Walid Fakhouri; Inmaculada de la ...; Claudia Nicolay; Mart A. F. J. van...
• Keywords: Sulfasalazine

To retrospectively compare the long-term clinical, functional, and cost outcomes for early RA patients (symptoms < 1 year) who did or not achieve remission in a treat-to-target strategy.Five-year data of 471 included DREAM induction cohort were used. Patients treated according to pre-specified 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) driven step-up treatment strategy starting with methotrexate, addition sulfasalazine, exchange sulfasalazine biological medication case failure. Two- 3-year healthcare costs available selected subsamples only.DAS28 was achieved 27.7%, 38.2%, 51.6% at 2, 3, 6 months, respectively. Achieving DAS28 months consistently associated significantly lower Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability scores 1, 5 years follow-up (all P values 0.02). also had per patient over first 2 3 treatment, mainly due biologic use, but differences total resource (hospital admissions plus consultations) less pronounced. Mean €1131 €1757 vs. €7533 (P 0.01) €2202 = 0.09) those remission.Achieving beneficial clinical long term. Key Points • Previous studies rheumatoid arthritis have demonstrated that good response is sustained better outcomes. This study extents these findings by examining benefits achieving on patient-reported, economic real-world very principles. The this clearly demonstrate aiming terms functional costs.