RESEARCH - DMARDs, steroids, and biologics equally effective for RA

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DMARDs, Glucocorticoids, And Biologics Equally Effective For

Rheumatoid Arthritis

MedicalNewsToday.com

Article Date: 29 Sep 2010 - 3:00 PDT

A study conducted at Copenhagen University Hospital showed that

treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with disease modifying

antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), glucocorticoids, biologic agents, or a

combination of agents significantly reduced radiographic evidence of

joint destruction, with a relative effect of 48% - 72% as compared

with placebo. A direct comparison between the combination of a

biologic agent plus methotrexate and the combination of 2 DMARDs plus

initial glucocorticoids revealed no difference. Study findings are

published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of

the American College of Rheumatology.

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Read the entire article here:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/202802.php

research abstract:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20560138

Not an MD