REVIEW - Orencia and other biologics for RA: Cochrane Reviews

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Abatacept and Other Biologics for RA: Cochrane Reviews

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Oct 22 - As a treatment for rheumatoid

arthritis, there is " moderate-level " evidence that the immunomodulator

abatacept is safe and effective, conclude the co-authors of a Cochrane

Intervention Review posted online October 4.

Abatacept inhibits the co-stimulation of T cells and disrupts the

inflammatory chain of events that lead to joint inflammation, pain and

damage in RA, note Lara Maxwell from University of Ottawa, Canada, and

the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group, and Dr. Jasvinder A. Singh from

the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Minnesota.

Their review is based on seven randomized controlled trials involving

2908 patients. Compared with placebo, patients treated with abatacept

were 2.2 times more likely to achieve an American College of

Rheumatology 50% improvement response (ACR50) at one year, " with a 21%

absolute risk difference between groups, " the reviewers report.

Compared with placebo, abatacept treatment was associated with

significant improvements in physical function and a reduction in

disease activity and pain. After 12 months, abatacept-treated patients

rated their pain to be 12 points lower on a scale of 0 to 100 than

placebo-treated patients (37 vs 49).

In one trial, abatacept was associated with a significant slowing of

radiographic progression of joint damage at 1 year compared with

placebo, " although it is not clear what the clinical relevance of this

difference may be, " Ms. Maxwell and Dr. Singh note.

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Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/711197

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