Difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis: an area of unmet clinical need
de Hair, Maria J.H.; Jacobs, Johannes W.G.; Schoneveld, Jan L.M.; van Laar, Jacob M.
(2018) Rheumatology (United Kingdom), volume 57, issue 7, pp. 1135 - 1144
(Article)
Abstract
Increased effectiveness of pharmacological treatments in early RA has led many to believe that difficult-to-treat, established RA is a condition of the past. However, there are still plenty of RA patients who continue to have signs and symptoms suggestive of inflammatory disease activity, despite consecutive treatment with multiple conventional synthetic
... read more
and biological DMARDs. We argue that difficult-to-treat RA constitutes an area of unmet clinical need and propose a definition of this concept. An overview of what is known about the multiple contributory factors varying for each individual patient, and an approach towards improved patient-tailored management are presented. This management approach involves thorough assessment to determine whether persistence of signs and symptoms is based on inflammatory disease activity, and the role of comorbidities. Furthermore, it addresses medication-related issues, such as non-adherence, patient beliefs and expectations, and setting of realistic treatment goals.
show less
Download/Full Text
The full text of this publication is not available.
Keywords: Biological therapies, Inflammation, Pain assessment and management, Patient attitude to health, Quality of healthcare, Refractory, Rheumatoid arthritis, Synovitis, Ultrasound, refractory, biological therapies, pain assessment and management, quality of healthcare, rheumatoid arthritis, ultrasound, inflammation, synovitis, patient attitude to health, Pharmacology (medical), Rheumatology, Journal Article
ISSN: 1462-0324
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Note: Funding Information: Disclosure statement: J.M.v.L. has received consultancy fees from Arthrogen, BMS, Eli Lilly, MSD, Pfizer and Roche, and research grants from Astra Zeneca, Genentech and MSD. All other authors have declared that they have no conflicts of interest. Publisher Copyright: © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology.
(Peer reviewed)