Rheumatoid Arthritis in the News


Efficacy and safety of different doses and retreatment of rituximab: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial in patients who are biological naive with active rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to methotrexate (Study Evaluating Rituximab's Efficacy in MTX iNadequate rEsponders (SERENE)).

Emery P, Deodhar A, Rigby WF, Isaacs JD, Combe B, Racewicz AJ, Latinis K, Abud-Mendoza C, Szczepanski LJ, Roschmann RA, Chen A, Armstrong GK, Douglass W, Tyrrell H.

Section of Musculoskeletal Disease, Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Leeds, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Chapeltown Road, Leeds UK. p.emery@leeds.ac.uk

OBJECTIVES: This phase III study evaluated the efficacy and safety of rituximab plus methotrexate (MTX) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an inadequate response to MTX and who were naïve to prior biological treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Rituximab (at 2 x 500 mg and 2 x 1000 mg) plus MTX significantly improved clinical outcomes at week 24, which were further improved by week 48. No significant differences in either clinical or safety outcomes were apparent between the rituximab doses.

(to read more please go here: http://www.biocritique.com/viewref.cfm?messageid=b1cf60e2-946d-47c7-8cfc-3096ecf05fd6)


New ACR-EULAR RA Remission Criteria Defined.

MedPage Today (11/12, Gever) reported, "New criteria to define clinical remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), endorsed by the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), provide a realistic standard for drug trials and give clinicians a better guide for treating patients," according to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting. "The new criteria define remission as no more than one swollen joint and one tender joint, a C-reactive protein (CRP) level of no more than 1 mg/dL, and a Patient Global Assessment score of no more than 1." A co-chairman of the ACR-EULAR committee that developed the new standard noted that "the criteria would be formally released within the next two months with simultaneous publication in Arthritis & Rheumatism and Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the official journals of ACR and EULAR, respectively.

 November 12, 2010
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