RCT: Maintenance, reduction, or withdrawal of etanercept after treatment with etanercept and methotrexate in patients with moderate rheumatoid arthritis (PRESERVE)

Source: Lancet Area: News Although moderately active rheumatoid arthritis is common, treatment effects in moderate disease have not been well studied. In addition, the optimum use of biologics requires further investigation, including the use of induction, maintenance, and withdrawal treatment strategies.   The PRESERVE trial in The Lancet compared the efficacy of maintenance, reduction, or withdrawal of etanercept in patients aged between 18 and 70 years with moderately active disease (DAS28 >3.2 and ?5.1) despite treatment with methotrexate (15 to 25 mg every week for at least 8 weeks). In a 36 week open-label period, all patients were given 50 mg etanercept plus methotrexate every week. To be eligible for a subsequent double-blind period of 52 weeks, participants had to have achieved sustained low disease activity.   A total of 604 (72.4%) of 834 enrolled patients were eligible for the double-blind period, of whom:   . 202 were assigned to 50 mg etanercept plus ...
Source: NeLM - News - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news