Is a step-down regimen more effective than a step-up regimen in the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis?: Commentary

Nature Clinical Practice Rheumatology

Volumn 4, Issue 8, 2008, Pages 396-397

  Keystone, Edward C ^a  

^a MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL   (Canada)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

AZATHIOPRINE; C REACTIVE PROTEIN; CORTICOSTEROID; DISEASE MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUG; HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE; METHOTREXATE; PREDNISONE; SALAZOSULFAPYRIDINE; STEROID;

CLINICAL TRIAL; COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY; DISEASE ACTIVITY; DISEASE SEVERITY; DOSE RESPONSE; DRUG DOSE REDUCTION; DRUG DOSE REGIMEN; DRUG EFFICACY; DRUG MEGADOSE; HEALTH ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE; HUMAN; INTERMETHOD COMPARISON; LOW DRUG DOSE; MONOTHERAPY; PRIORITY JOURNAL; REMISSION; RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS; SHORT SURVEY; UNSPECIFIED SIDE EFFECT;

EID: 48749108207     PISSN: 17458382     EISSN: 17458390     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1038/ncprheum0861     Document Type: Short Survey

References (5)

1. Boers M et al. (1997) Randomised comparison of combined step-down prednisolone, methotrexate and sulphasalazine with sulphasalazine alone in early rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet 350: 309-318
2. Goekoop-Ruiteman YP et al. (2005) Clinical and radiographic outcomes of four different treatment strategies in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (the BeSt study): A randomized trial. Arthritis Rheum 52: 3381-3390
3. Landewé RB et al. (2002) COBRA combination therapy in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: Long-term structural benefits of a brief intervention. Arthritis Rheum 46: 347-356
4. Wassenberg S et al. (2005) Very low-dose prednisolone in early rheumatoid arthritis retards radiographic progression over two years: A multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum 52: 3371-3380
5. van Tuyl LH et al. (2007) Why are Dutch rheumatologists reluctant to use the COBRA treatment strategy in early rheumatoid arthritis? Ann Rheum Dis 66: 974-976