Long-term effects on bone mineral density after four years of treatment with two intensive combination strategies, including initially high-dose prednisolone, in early rheumatoid arthritis patients: the COBRA-light trial.

ABSTRACT: In this study, no difference in bone loss was observed between patients with early RA initially treated with COmbinatietherapie Bij Reumatoide Artritis (COBRA) (including initially 60 mg/day prednisolone) and patients treated with COBRA-light (including initially 30 mg/day prednisolone) during 4-year observation.

Purpose

To assess changes in bone mineral density (BMD) after 4 years in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients initially treated with COBRA-light or COBRA therapy.

Methods

In a 1 year, open-label, randomised, non-inferiority trial, patients were assigned to COBRA-light (methotrexate 25 mg/week plus initially prednisolone 30 mg/day) or COBRA (methotrexate 7.5 mg/week, sulfasalazine 2 g/day plus initially prednisolone 60 mg/day) therapy. After 1 year, antirheumatic

SUBMITTER: Lucassen MJJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8192358 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature