Effectiveness of initial methotrexate-based treatment approaches in early rheumatoid arthritis: an elicitation of rheumatologists' beliefs.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To quantify rheumatologists' beliefs about the effectiveness of triple therapy (MTX + HCQ + SSZ) and other commonly used initial treatments for RA.

Methods

In a Bayesian belief elicitation exercise, 40 rheumatologists distributed 20 chips, each representing 5% of their total weight of belief on the probability that a typical patient with moderate-severe early RA would have an ACR50 response within 6 months with MTX (oral and s.c.), MTX + HCQ (dual therapy) and triple therapy. Parametric distributions were fit, and used to calculate pairwise median relative risks (RR), with 95% credible intervals, and estimate sample sizes for new trials to shift these beliefs.

Results

In the pooled analysis, triple therapy was perceived to be superior to MTX (RR 1.97; 1.35,

SUBMITTER: Pokharel G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8328501 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature