Can we wean patients with inflammatory arthritis from biological therapies?

Publication date: Available online 19 October 2019Source: Autoimmunity ReviewsAuthor(s): Christopher J. Edwards, Galeazzi Mauro Galeazzi, Salvatore Bellinvia, Ariana Ringer, Theodoros Dimitroulas, George D. KitasAbstractBiological therapies have represented a cornerstone in the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Their advent combined with implementation of a treat-to-target approach has meant that remission or low disease activity are now realistic targets for treatment achieved by a significant number of patients. However, biologicals are not risk free and their elevated costs continue to present an important economic burden to national healthcare services.“Can we wean patients with inflammatory arthritis from biological therapies?”Over the last decade this question has become increasingly important as to define the best management strategies in terms of efficacy, safety and economic outcomes. Not surprisingly this has generated an interesting debate as to whether reasons to taper biologics outweigh reasons not to taper and evidence in support of either of these schools of thought is persistently growing.AimIn this article we reviewed the contents of the relevant session from the 2019 Controversies in Rheumatology and Autoimmunity meeting in Florence.
Source: Autoimmunity Reviews - Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research