RESEARCH - Efficacy of tacrolimus for joint destruction in RA

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Clin Calcium. 2007 Apr;17(4):593-9.

[Efficacy of tacrolimus for joint destruction in rheumatoid

arthritis][Article in Japanese]

Tanaka Y, Suzuki K, Saito K.

University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of

Medicine, The First Department of Internal Medicine.

Since joint destruction, the most important problem in rheumatoid

arthritis (RA) , progress rapidly at the onset of the disease, initial

treatment using appropriate disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug

DMARD such as methotrexate (MTX) is strongly recommended in order to

retard progression of joint damage. However, not a few patients are

resistant to MTX and/or intolerant of MTX. Oral tacrolimus 1.5-3

mg/day, an immunosuppressive drug, was approved in Japan for the

treatment of RA insufficient to other DMARD. The properties of

tacrolimus have the much potential of inhibition of T cell activation,

suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, improvement

of joint inflammation, retarding bone and cartilage destruction,

overcoming drug-resistance and so on and, thereby, tacrolimus can be

the best alternative to MTX and biologics in RA patients who are

refractory to or intolerant of these other drugs.

PMID: 17404490

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17404490

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