Switching From Immediate-Release to Delayed-Release Prednisone in Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Practice-Based Clinical Study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) produces debilitating morning stiffness. Exogenous glucocorticoids can help with these symptoms when timed appropriately. Bedtime dosing of delayed-release prednisone (DR-prednisone) matches the rise of inflammatory cytokines before awakening and can improve stiffness and other RA symptoms. A prospective open-label study was conducted in patients currently on stable doses of immediate-release prednisone (IR-prednisone) who were switched to DR-prednisone to analyze the incremental benefit of better timed and lower dose glucocorticoid therapy.

Methods

Twelve US sites enrolled patients with moderate-severe RA into a 12-week prospective study. Patients were switched from IR- to DR-prednisone while maintaining other existing background thera

SUBMITTER: Dikranian AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5696287 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature