Inconsistent treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: a longitudinal data analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Current recommendations advocate treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) in all patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated the frequency of and reasons for inconsistent DMARD use among patients in a clinical rheumatology cohort.

Methods

Patients in the Brigham Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study were studied for DMARD use (any or none) at each semiannual study timepoint during the first 2 study years. Inconsistent use was defined as DMARD use at ≤ 40% of study timepoints. Characteristics were compared between inconsistent and consistent users (> 40%), and factors associated with inconsistent DMARD use were determined through multivariate logistic regression. A medical record review was performed to determine the reasons f

SUBMITTER: Mjaavatten MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4843119 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature