RESEARCH - Remicade combination therapy for RA provides faster symptom relief

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Infliximab Combo Therapy for RA Provides Faster Symptom Relief

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jan 23 - In patients with recent onset

rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the initial use of combination therapy with

infliximab leads to faster symptom improvements than do other

approaches, Dutch researchers report in the January issue of Arthritis

and Rheumatism.

Principal investigator Dr. Cornelia F. Allaart told Reuters Health:

" Patients with newly diagnosed RA can be...optimistic about their

future, with a high chance of a good response on combination therapy

and a high chance of medication reduction. If that happens -- even

remission and discontinuation of all drugs is a real possibility. "

Dr. Allaart and colleagues at Leiden University Medical Center studied

508 patients with recent-onset RA who were randomized to four

different treatment approaches.

The first group received sequential monotherapy starting with

methotrexate and ending up with methotrexate and infliximab; the

second group also started methotrexate monotherapy followed by

combination therapy with methotrexate and infliximab; the third group

began with combination therapy including tapered high-dose prednisone;

and the last group began with combination therapy with methotrexate

and infliximab.

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Read the whole article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/587238

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