Allergy/Imm

Your Article Summary

See Latest Articles

Efficacy and safety of anti-tumour necrosis factor in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis: An observational study
Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology, 06/25/09

Filippini M et al. – Study shows that anti-TNFα treatment reduced disease activity and led to functional improvement in both elderly and younger patients, although the baseline difference in HAQ remained statistically significant at the end of the follow-up. The elderly patients experienced more infective events.

• A comparison of the efficacy and safety of anti-TNF agents in elderly (aged ≥65 yrs) and younger pts (aged 18–65 yrs) with active RA
• 1,114 RA pts, followed-up for >6 mo, were divided into 2 cohorts on the basis of their age to evaluate 3-yr outcomes and treatment discontinuations
• Drug effectiveness was assessed by DAS28 and EULAR response, functional status (HAQ) and serological parameters (ESR) at baseline and during therapy
• Safety was evaluated on the basis of drug discontinuation rates

• At baseline, the elderly pts showed greater disease activity and loss of joint function
• During therapy, clinical and laboratory parameters improved in both groups w/o any difference between them
• Difference in HAQ remained after 36 mo of treatment
• Anti-TNFα therapy was discontinued by 42% elderly and 36.6% of younger pts because of loss of efficacy, severe adverse events or other reasons
• Number of AEs was higher in the elderly patients

Related Articles

See all related articles

Efficacy of roxithromycin in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had not received disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: A 3-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Clinical Therapeutics, 10/15/09    Relevance Score: 71%

Certolizumab Pegol: In Rheumatoid Arthritis
BioDrugs, 11/11/09    Relevance Score: 70%

Assistive technology for rheumatoid arthritis
Cochrane Reviews, 10/09/09    Relevance Score: 70%

Treatment of early RA with infliximab is beneficial
American Pharmacists Association, 11/06/09    Relevance Score: 69%

Abatacept for rheumatoid arthritis
Cochrane Reviews, 10/09/09    Relevance Score: 69%

Today in Hematology/Oncology...keeping you current

Receive free subspecialty "5-minute updates" via email

Can antigen-specific regulatory T cells protect against graft vs. host disease and spare anti-malignancy alloresponse
Haematologica, 12/18/09

Mutiny on the Boun-T: Controlling Dangerous T Cells Through Anergy
Discovery Medicine, 12/17/09

Immunolocalization and mRNA Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-6 in Human Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma
Kidney and Blood Pressure Research, 12/17/09

 See all of Hematology/Oncology

Today in Rheumatic/Autoimmune...keeping you current

Receive free subspecialty "5-minute updates" via email

Update on the genetic risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis
Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 12/18/09

Non-avian-derived hyaluronan for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee
Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 12/18/09

Anti-TNF-[alpha] therapy with infliximab in spondyloarthritides
Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 12/17/09

 See all of Rheumatic/Autoimmune