Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis With Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor or Tocilizumab Therapy as First Biologic Agent in a Global Comparative Observational Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To compare clinical effectiveness between tocilizumab and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs initiating biologic therapy.

Methods

Patients prescribed tocilizumab (intravenous) or TNFi were prospectively observed in routine clinical practice for 52 weeks across 158 sites in 26 countries. The primary observation was the change from baseline in Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) at week 24 using analysis of covariance for between-groups comparison. Secondary end points included Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and patient-reported outcomes at weeks 24 and 52.

Results

SUBMITTER: Choy EH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5656814 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature