RESEARCH - Excellent results with early, aggressive treatment in RA: CIMESTRA

[Guest guest]

Excellent Results With Early, Aggressive Treatment in RA

By Martha Kerr

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jun 30 - Continuous methotrexate and

intra-articular corticosteroids can achieve " excellent clinical

response and disease control after 2 years " in patients with early

rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Danish investigators report in the June

issue of the ls of Rheumatic Diseases.

The findings come from the second year of follow-up of the randomized,

placebo-controlled, multicenter Ciclosporine, Methotrexate, Steroid in

RA (CIMESTRA) study.

Dr. Kim Horslev-sen of Arhus University Hospital and colleagues

randomized 160 patients with RA diagnosed within the past 6 months to

receive intra-articular betamethasone in all swollen joints plus

step-up treatment with either methotrexate plus placebo, ciclosporine

plus placebo or combination therapy with methotrexate and ciclosporine

for 76 weeks.

************************************************************

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/576881

--

Not an MD