EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis with synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: 2016 update

Smolen, J. S. et al. (2017) EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis with synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: 2016 update. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 76(6), pp. 960-977. (doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210715) (PMID:28264816)

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Abstract

Recent insights in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) necessitated updating the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) RA management recommendations. A large international Task Force based decisions on evidence from 3 systematic literature reviews, developing 4 overarching principles and 12 recommendations (vs 3 and 14, respectively, in 2013). The recommendations address conventional synthetic (cs) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) (methotrexate (MTX), leflunomide, sulfasalazine); glucocorticoids (GC); biological (b) DMARDs (tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-inhibitors (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab), abatacept, rituximab, tocilizumab, clazakizumab, sarilumab and sirukumab and biosimilar (bs) DMARDs) and targeted synthetic (ts) DMARDs (Janus kinase (Jak) inhibitors tofacitinib, baricitinib). Monotherapy, combination therapy, treatment strategies (treat-to-target) and the targets of sustained clinical remission (as defined by the American College of Rheumatology-(ACR)-EULAR Boolean or index criteria) or low disease activity are discussed. Cost aspects were taken into consideration. As first strategy, the Task Force recommends MTX (rapid escalation to 25 mg/week) plus short-term GC, aiming at >50% improvement within 3 and target attainment within 6 months. If this fails stratification is recommended. Without unfavourable prognostic markers, switching to—or adding—another csDMARDs (plus short-term GC) is suggested. In the presence of unfavourable prognostic markers (autoantibodies, high disease activity, early erosions, failure of 2 csDMARDs), any bDMARD (current practice) or Jak-inhibitor should be added to the csDMARD. If this fails, any other bDMARD or tsDMARD is recommended. If a patient is in sustained remission, bDMARDs can be tapered. For each recommendation, levels of evidence and Task Force agreement are provided, both mostly very high. These recommendations intend informing rheumatologists, patients, national rheumatology societies, hospital officials, social security agencies and regulators about EULAR's most recent consensus on the management of RA, aimed at attaining best outcomes with current therapies.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:Funding: European League Against Rheumatism.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:McInnes, Professor Iain
Authors: Smolen, J. S., Landewé, R., Bijlsma, J., Burmester, G., Chatzidionysiou, K., Dougados, M., Nam, J., Ramiro, S., Voshaar, M., van Vollenhoven, R., Aletaha, D., Aringer, M., Boers, M., Buckley, C. D., Buttgereit, F., Bykerk, V., Cardiel, M., Combe, B., Cutolo, M., van Eijk-Hustings, Y., Emery, P., Finckh, A., Gabay, C., Gomez-Reino, J., Gossec, L., Gottenberg, J.-E., Hazes, J. M.W., Huizinga, T., Jani, M., Karateev, D., Kouloumas, M., Kvien, T., Li, Z., Mariette, X., McInnes, I., Mysler, E., Nash, P., Pavelka, K., Poór, G., Richez, C., van Riel, P., Rubbert-Roth, A., Saag, K., da Silva, J., Stamm, T., Takeuchi, T., Westhovens, R., de Wit, M., and van der Heijde, D.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
Journal Name:Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Publisher:BMJ Publishing Group
ISSN:0003-4967
ISSN (Online):1468-2060
Published Online:06 March 2017
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 The Authors
First Published:First published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 76(6): 960-977
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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