RESEARCH - Enbrel safe and effective in refractory RA

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Etanercept Safe and Effective in Refractory RA

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 09 - Etanercept is a safe and effective

adjunct to, or a replacement for, sulfasalazine in rheumatoid

arthritis (RA) patients showing an inadequate response to treatment

with sulfasalazine alone, researchers report in the July issue of

ls of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Dr. ph Wajdula of Wyeth Research, Collegeville, Pennsylvania and

colleagues came to this conclusion after studying 254 RA patients who

were randomized to switch to etanercept, receive etanercept in

addition to sulfasalazine or to continue with sulfasalazine alone.

The addition of etanercept or switching to etanercept led to a rapid

and sustained improvement of all clinical efficacy endpoints compared

with sulfasalazine alone.

At 2 years, American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, disease

activity scores were 2.8 in the etanercept group, 2.5 in the

combination group and 4.5 in sulfasalazine patients. Corresponding

percentages for ACR20 scores were 67%, 77% and 34%.

Patient-reported outcomes were similar, with a clinically significant

improvement in health assessment questionnaire responses reported by

76%, 78% and 40%.

Some 26 patients (52%) receiving sulfasalazine withdrew from the study

because of lack of efficacy, compared to 6% of patients in the

etanercept groups. Discontinuation because of adverse events was not

significantly different among the groups.

" Etanercept either alone or added to existing sulfasalazine therapy, "

the researchers conclude, " is associated with a favorable risk benefit

profile, thus broadening the range of options for the treatment of

patients with active RA. "

Ann Rheum Dis 2009;68:1146-1152.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/705644

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