Study shows long-term benefits of golimumab therapy for psoriatic arthritis

New research has demonstrated the potentially significant long-term benefits that golimumab therapy can provide for people with psoriatic arthritis.The international study, led by the University of California, San Diego, aimed to evaluate long-term outcomes in psoriatic arthritis patients who achieved or did not achieve minimal disease activity over five years of golimumab treatment.This placebo-controlled trial lasted 24 weeks and was followed by an open-label extension period of up to five years. Results from the study were published in the medical journal Arthritis Care and Research.It was shown that treatment with golimumab yielded significantly higher response rates in terms of achieving minimal disease activity levels compared to those on placebo at weeks 14, 24 and 52, with minimal disease activity attained at least once by around 50 per cent of golimumab-treated patients overall.Achievement of low disease activity after three or four consecutive visits was associated with significantly reduced radiographic progression, better physical function and reduced overall disease activity after five years.The researchers concluded: "Among golimumab-treated PsA patients, better long-term functional improvement, patient global assessment and radiographic outcomes were observed when patients achieved persistent MDA."Golimumab is an anti-inflammatory therapy that belongs to a class of drugs called anti-TNFs, which was pioneered by Arthritis Research UK. It is used to tre...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news