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ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
20595536 Benefits 8 years after a remission induction regime with an infliximab and methotrexate co 2010 Oct OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether a 1-year remission induction therapy with an infliximab-MTX (INF-MTX) combination in patients with early RA provided sustained benefit after INF cessation compared with conventional treatment. METHODS: Twenty patients with poor prognosis RA of < 1 year of disease duration were randomized to receive either INF and MTX or placebo infusions and MTX for 1 year. They then stepped down to MTX monotherapy and were treated according to standard clinical care. After 8 years, disease activity, function and quality of life (QoL) data were collected. RESULTS: At follow-up, data were available for 18 patients (1 in each group had died). Median 28-joint DAS was significantly lower in the INF-MTX group compared with placebo-MTX group (2.7 vs 4.3, P = 0.02). Four patients in the INF-MTX group were in remission vs none in the placebo-MTX group. One patient in the INF-MTX group achieved drug-free remission. Both RAQoL and HAQ median scores were lower in the INF-MTX group; however, this did not reach statistical significance (median RAQoL 3 vs 8, P = 0.18; median HAQ 1.0 vs 1.5, P = 0.12). CONCLUSION: A remission induction regime with an INF-MTX combination for 1 year in early RA can improve long-term clinical outcomes. Larger studies will be required to confirm the implications of these findings.
20402381 The AMBITION trial: tocilizumab monotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis. 2010 Mar Recent years have seen many exciting developments in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a compound that inhibits the IL-6 receptor. Following initial studies in Japan, it has been extensively studied in five multicenter clinical trials. This report concentrates on the Actemra Versus Methotrexate Double-blind Investigative Trial in Monotherapy (AMBITION), which compared TCZ monotherapy (8 mg/kg every 4 weeks) with methotrexate monotherapy over 24 weeks. TCZ was shown to be the first biologic agent that is superior to methotrexate across a whole range of clinical outcomes measures with a rapid onset of effect. Significant liver toxicity was less common in the TCZ group. However, increases in lipids and decreases in neutrophils and skin infections were more common in the TCZ arm. Long-term efficacy and safety follow-up is ongoing. This trial supports the use of TCZ as monotherapy and suggests it should be regarded as a first-line biologic therapy.
19604464 Denosumab for joints and bones. 2009 Jul Denosumab is an investigational, fully human monoclonal antibody with a high affinity and specificity for receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL), a cytokine member of the tumor necrosis factor family. RANKL, an essential mediator of osteoclast formation, function, and survival, plays a major role in the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis, structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis, and bone loss associated with other skeletal disorders. Denosumab suppresses bone turnover by inhibiting the action of RANKL on osteoclasts. Denosumab reduces bone turnover and increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density, reduces fracture risk in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, and inhibits structural damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis when added to ongoing methotrexate treatment. It is generally well tolerated, with a good safety profile. Adverse and serious adverse events, including infections and malignancy, are similar in patients treated with denosumab or placebo.
20731114 [Severe disseminated constrictive polyserositis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis]. 2010 Constrictive polyserositis (pleuritis, pericarditis) is a syndrome within the underlying disease (tuberculosis, periodic disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, asbestos, silicosis, uremia, some genetic diseases), a complication due to chest surgery or radiation or drug therapy, is occasionally idiopathic (fibrosing mediastinitis). There are frequently great difficulties in making its nosological diagnosis. The paper describes a patient in whom the onset of disease was exudative pleurisy with the signs of constriction, arthralgias; pleural punctures provided serous exudates with 80% lymphocytes. A year later there was ascitis and shin and foot edemas, which concurrent with hepatomegaly and cholestasis was regarded as cryptogenic liver cirrhosis. The signs of constrictive pericarditis were further revealed. The disease was complicated by the development of pulmonary artery thromboembolism (PATE) (which required the use of warfarin) and hemorrhagic vasculitis. Therapy with metipred in combination with isoniazid yielded a slight effect. The diagnoses of tuberculosis, liver cirrhosis, and autoimmune hepatitis, systemic vasculitis were consecutively rejected; the diagnosis of rheumatoid polyarthritis with systemic manifestations was made, by taking into account persistent arthalgias with the minimum signs of arthritis, noticeably increased C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, and cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (CCPA); plasmapheresis, therapy with metipred and methotrexate, and subtotal pericardectomy were performed. Constrictive polyserositis concurrent with PATE, hemorrhagic vasculitis (probably, drug-induced one), and hepatic lesion has been first described in a CCPA-positive patient with rheumatoid arthritis in the presence of moderate true arthritis (during steroid therapy).
20118145 Golimumab: a tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthrit 2010 Jan OBJECTIVE: To review the pharmacologic, pharmacokinetic, efficacy, and safety data of golimumab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) monoclonal antibody. DATA SOURCES: A search of MEDLINE (1950-September 2009) was performed to identify any published clinical trials or review articles pertaining to golimumab. Key search terms included golimumab, rheumatoid arthritis, CNTO 148, and anti-TNF-alpha inhibitors. Bibliographies of selected articles were reviewed to identify other relevant citations. Abstracts from national and international meetings and information from the manufacturer were also reviewed. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All available published articles and abstracts describing golimumab's pharmacologic or pharmacokinetic profile, efficacy, and safety were included. DATA SYNTHESIS: Golimumab is a fully humanized TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody that is specific for human TNF-alpha. Trials have investigated the use of golimumab in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are on methotrexate, are methotrexate-naïve, and have previously tried TNF-alpha inhibition therapy. When used in combination with methotrexate or another disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, golimumab therapy results in improvements of clinical outcomes including the American College of Rheumatology parameters in all of the aforementioned populations. Although multiple doses and dosing regimens have been studied, the Food and Drug Administration-approved dose is 50 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks. The most common adverse effects include injection site erythema, headaches, and nausea. There were a limited number of incidences of serious infection or malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: With 4 TNF-alpha monoclonal antibodies currently on the market, it is unclear what golimumab's place in therapy for RA will be. Some benefits include monthly injections, proven efficacy after previous TNF-alpha inhibitor therapy, and limited antibody development during therapy. However, with a lack of longer-term trials assessing efficacy and safety compared with other TNF-alpha inhibitors, golimumab should be reserved for use after other therapies fail.
19096851 Preliminary study on the immunologic background of good clinical outcome in rheumatoid art 2009 Jun This preliminary study focuses on early peripheral cellular immune changes after 1 month therapy with leflunomide, in 18 patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis, previously treated with methotrexate. A good clinical outcome of disease was documented and we showed that a particular target of short-time leflunomide therapy in rheumatoid arthritis was the peripheral innate immune system (NK cells and the population of granulocytes developing phagocytosis and superoxide anion production when challenged ex vivo with zymosan particles). Meanwhile, the high inter-individual variability of adaptive immunity required data analysis in subgroups of patients. We showed that the abnormal increase of peripheral leukocytes counts, or the decrease towards normal values of the CD4:CD8 lymphocytes ratio, or the inhibition of uridine uptake by ex vivo activated lymphocytes were consistent with a positive clinical evolution, proved by the reduction of tender/swollen joints, morning stiffness duration or acute phase response. We emphasized that significant benefits of short-term leflunomide therapy were associated with functional suppression of peripheral B lymphocytes. Hence, the positive evolution of rheumatoid arthritis patients seemed to be specifically linked to early drug-induced changes of trafficking or uridine metabolism of mononuclear cells.
19483410 [B cell targeting therapy using the anti-CD20 antibody in autoimmune diseases]. 2009 Jun Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are representative autoimmune diseases thought to involve disturbances in T and B cell functions. Immune complexes consisting of antigens and autoantibodies secreted from activated B cells cause severe inflammation in various organs. Since often patients with RA and SLE are refractory to these conventional treatments such as immunosuppressants and corticosteroids, innovative approaches need to be developed. CD20 is a surface molecule specific for B cells and rituximab is a chimeric antibody specific for human CD20 and is known to deplete B cells. Recently, the potential efficacy of B-cell depletion therapy with rituximab has been reported in several autoimmune diseases. Rituximab is now approved for use in combination with methotrexate in refractory RA patients in the United States and EU. We reported that SLE patients with organ-threatening disorders that are resistant to intensive conventional therapies, were treated by once a week administration of anti-CD20 antibody rituximab, and that sufficient evidence concerning the excellent tolerability and high efficacy of rituximab therapy was obtained in both a pilot study and a nation-wide phase I/II clinical examination Moreover, a rapid and marked reduction in the expression of the co-stimulatory molecules CD40 and CD80 on B-cells was found in SLE patients, implying that reduction of both the quantity and the quality of B-cells by rituximab could improve the disease course in refractory SLE. Therefore, targeting B-cells may have potential interests by bringing about a breakthrough in the treatment of RA, SLE and other autoimmune diseases.
20080907 Tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, overcomes treatment unresponsiveness mediated by P-gl 2010 Mar OBJECTIVE: Tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, is used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It also inhibits functions of P-glycoprotein, which is involved in drug resistance. We examined the mechanisms of early response to 2-week tacrolimus treatment in patients with RA. METHODS: One hundred thirteen patients with refractory RA despite at least 3 antirheumatic agents, including methotrexate, were treated with tacrolimus (1.5-3 mg/day) and the response was assessed at 2 weeks. Expression of the multidrug resistance (MDR-1) gene and P-glycoprotein was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) collected from 113 patients and 40 healthy subjects. The drug exclusion function by the P-glycoprotein was measured by the residual amount of intracellular tritium-labeled dexamethasone cell/medium ratio (C/M ratio). RESULTS: The disease activity of enrolled patients was 5.8 +/- 1.2 (mean +/- SD) by DAS28 erythrocyte sedimentation rate. A good response to tacrolimus was noted at 2 weeks in 22 of 113 patients. At baseline, PBMC of patients with RA showed upregulated expression of MDR-1 gene and P-glycoprotein and low C/M ratio. The response to tacrolimus correlated with P-glycoprotein expression and C/M ratio. A significant improvement in C/M ratio was noted after 2 weeks of treatment. The C/M ratio correlated significantly with P-glycoprotein expression on CD4+ lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: Early efficacy of tacrolimus treatment depended on its inhibitory effect on the drug exclusion function of P-glycoprotein, leading to restoration of intracellular therapeutic levels of corticosteroids and clinical improvement. Evaluation of P-glycoprotein expression on lymphocytes is potentially useful for predicting the response to RA treatment.
21110028 A proposal of simple calculation (ERI calculator) to predict the early response to TNF-α 2012 Feb Increasing evidence has been accumulated for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with TNF-α blocking agents. The formulation and definition of an early indicator of patient's reactivity during therapy may be extremely simplified by a mathematical model of clinical response. We analyzed the most significant clinical and laboratory parameters of response of 35 homogeneous patients (30 women, 5 men mean age ± SD: 52.31 ± 12.30 years) treated with adalimumab 40 mg every 2 weeks associated with methotrexate (MTX) 10-15 mg/week and with a stable dosage of steroids for 30 weeks. The over time trend of the studied parameters showed a linear response, which has allowed the realization of a simple mathematical model. The formula derived from this mathematical model was then applied and therefore validated in a group of 121 patients previously treated with several anti-TNF-alpha agents for at least 6 months. We drafted a mathematical model (early response indicator, ERI) that, by using a simple calculation, allows us to identify a high percentage of responder patients after only 2 weeks of treatment. ERI identified a high percentage (88%) of patients responding after only 2 weeks, as was confirmed at weeks 30; the use of ERI calculation after 6 weeks increases the proportion of responding patients to 92% with a percentage of false negatives of only 12%. ERI could be a useful tool to early differentiate the responder from the non-responder patients.
21038033 Chemotherapy in severe nasal polyposis--a possible beneficial effect? A report of three ca 2010 Sep BACKGROUND: Nasal polyposis is an inflammatory process of the nasal mucosa. Treatment has changed from surgery to an anti-inflammatory approach, but neither of these treatments addresses the underlying cause. Topical steroids and occasional use of systemic steroids in patients with nasal polyposis can frequently control the polypoid disease. In a few cases, when the disease is more aggressive, the repeated application of systemic steroids together with sinus surgery is required. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We present our experience with one case of rheumatoid arthritis and two cases with malignant diseases, all of which were treated with chemotherapy and were also accompanied by severe nasal polyposis. All of our patients had eosinophilic polypoid disease. Various chemotherapeutic treatment schemes were utilized. RESULTS: During chemotherapy all three patients were markedly improved symptomatically including olfaction along with a significant reduction in their nasal polyposis. Duration of remission lasted for a few months in two cases and for three years, in a third case. CONCLUSION: This is the first report describing the successful treatment of severe nasal polyposis with chemotherapy. Based on this experience, we suggest a phase II trial with chemotherapy, preferably "low dose" methotrexate, in patients with severe nasal polyposis.
20386493 Polymorphisms within the folate pathway predict folate concentrations but are not associat 2010 Jun OBJECTIVES: To determine whether genetic polymorphisms within the folate pathway are associated with red blood cell (RBC) methotrexate (MTX) polyglutamate concentrations, RBC folate concentrations and MTX efficacy/toxicity. METHODS: Disease activity in 200 rheumatoid arthritis patients on MTX was assessed by swollen and tender joint counts and Disease Activity Score 28. Genetic polymorphisms shown to have an effect on gene expression or protein function were examined. RESULTS: RBC folate concentrations were significantly associated with MTHFR 677C>T (P=0.002), MTRR 66A>G (P<0.0001), MTHFD1 1958G>A (P=0.001) and SHMT 1420C>T (P=0.012), whereas no association of these polymorphisms with disease activity was observed. None of the polymorphisms tested predicted RBC MTX polyglutamate concentrations. There were weak associations between central nervous system adverse effects and AMPD1 34C>T (P=0.04) and between gastrointestinal adverse effects and MTHFD1 1958G>A (P=0.03) and ABCC2 IVS23+56T>C (P=0.045). There was a stronger association between any adverse effect and ABCG2 914C>A (P=0.004). CONCLUSION: Although RBC folate concentrations are associated with genetic polymorphisms within the folate pathway, these variants do not predict disease activity. To accurately evaluate whether any polymorphisms are reliable predictors of MTX efficacy or toxicity, large prospective clinical trials are required. Furthermore, application of a genome-wide association strategy is likely to uncover novel predictors of MTX response.
20736134 Paricalcitol, a synthetic vitamin D analog: a candidate for combination therapy with biolo 2010 Dec Biologic agents, especially TNFα inhibitors, appear to be very effective in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although the use of biologic agents has greatly improved the therapeutic efficacy in management of RA, biologic therapies for RA treatment have several limitations. These agents fail to achieve complete remission in substantial portion of RA patients. Also certain adverse events have been observed, including serious bacterial infections and reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Previous reports demonstrated that TNFα inhibitors are more efficacious in combination with other drugs such as methotrexate. In this report, we suggest that paricalcitol, a synthetic vitamin D analog is another candidate molecule for combination therapy with TNFα inhibitors in RA.
20505635 Portuguese guidelines for the use of biological agents in rheumatoid arthritis - March 201 2010 Jan The authors present the revised version of the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology (SPR) guidelines for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with biological therapies. In these guidelines the criteria for introduction and maintenance of biological agents are discussed as well as the contraindications and procedures in the case of non-responders. Biological treatment should be considered in RA patients with a disease activity score 28 (DAS 28) superior to 3.2 despite treatment with 20mg/week of methotrexate (MTX) for at least 3 months or, if such treatment is not possible, after 6 months of other conventional disease modifying drug or combination therapy. A DAS 28 score between 2.6 and 3.2 with a significant functional or radiological deterioration under treatment with conventional regimens could also constitute an indication for biological treatment. The treatment goal should be remission or, if that is not achievable, at least a low disease activity, characterized by a DAS28 lower than 3.2, without significative functional or radiological worsening. The response criteria, at the end of the first 3 months of treatment, are a decrease of 0.6 in the DAS28 score. After 6 months of treatment response criteria is defined as a decrease of more than 1.2 in the DAS28 score. Non-responders, in accordance to the Rheumatologist's clinical opinion, should try a switch to another biological agent (tumour necrosis factor antagonist, abatacept, rituximab or tocilizumab).
21095481 Safety profile of abatacept in rheumatoid arthritis: a review. 2010 Oct BACKGROUND: Abatacept, a soluble human fusion protein that selectively modulates the costimulatory signal required for full T-cell activation, is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the United States, Canada, and the European Union. Because rare but serious adverse effects have been associated with biologic therapies, it is important to assess the safety profiles of these agents on an ongoing basis. OBJECTIVE: This article reviews current evidence on the safety profile of abatacept in patients with RA. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE was searched for clinical trials of abatacept using the terms abatacept OR CTLA4Ig, rheumatoid arthritis, and safety. Searches of abstracts presented at the 2007-2009 annual meetings of the American College of Rheumatology, European League Against Rheumatism, and Canadian Rheumatology Association were also conducted. Reports from clinical trials of at least 6 months' duration that evaluated abatacept in adults with RA were included in the review. RESULTS: Seven placebo-controlled trials and 1 open- label trial were included in the review, as were the long-term extensions of 5 of the studies and an integrated safety analysis. Abatacept added to methotrexate had an acceptable safety profile in patients with RA who had an inadequate response to methotrexate or other traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or who failed to respond to treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor agents. In the 5 core trials, discontinuations due to adverse events ranged from 1.9% to 8.7% of abatacept recipients and 0.9% to 4.3% of placebo recipients. In the integrated safety analysis, serious infections were reported in 3.0% of abatacept recipients and 1.9% of placebo recipients; the corresponding rates of malignancies were 3.7% and 2.9%. No additional safety concerns emerged during up to 7 years of exposure in the long-term extension studies. Antibodies to abatacept developed in ≤3% of patients, with no association found between immunogenicity and adverse events. CONCLUSION: Based on the evidence reviewed, abatacept had an acceptable safety profile and was well tolerated in patients with RA.
20131276 Golimumab, a new human anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha antibody, administered intravenous 2010 Apr OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of intravenous administration of golimumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Adult patients with RA in whom disease activity was persistent despite treatment with methotrexate (MTX) at a dosage of 15-25 mg/week for > or = 4 weeks were randomized to receive intravenous infusions of placebo plus MTX or intravenous infusions of golimumab at a dose of 2 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg, with or without MTX, every 12 weeks through week 48. Patients with <20% improvement in the swollen and tender joint counts could enter early escape and receive additional active treatment (week 16) or could have their dose regimen adjusted (week 24). The primary end point was the proportion of patients achieving a 50% response according to the American College of Rheumatology improvement criteria (ACR50) at week 14. RESULTS: The primary study end point was not met (at week 14, an ACR50 response was observed in 21% of the patients treated with golimumab plus MTX compared with 13% of the patients treated with placebo plus MTX [P = 0.051]). By week 24, significantly more patients treated with golimumab plus MTX had achieved an ACR50 response. Differences in the proportion of patients achieving an ACR50 response between the group receiving golimumab monotherapy and the group receiving placebo plus MTX were not significant at either week 14 (16% versus 13%) or week 24 (10% versus 9%). At week 48, the proportions of patients achieving ACR20 and ACR50 responses were highest among those who had received golimumab 4 mg/kg plus MTX (70% and 48%, respectively). Concomitant treatment with MTX was associated with a lower incidence of antibodies to golimumab. The most commonly reported adverse events through week 48 were infections (48% of patients treated with golimumab with or without MTX and 41% of patients receiving placebo plus MTX). CONCLUSION: The primary end point was not met. However, intravenously administered golimumab plus MTX appears to have benefit in the longer-term reduction of RA signs/symptoms in MTX-resistant patients, with no unexpected safety concerns.
20455343 Rheumatoid arthritis: choice of antirheumatic treatment. Methotrexate first. 2010 Feb Various drugs with different risk-benefit balances are claimed to reduce the intensity and frequency of exacerbations and to slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. What is the basis for choosing the most appropriate treatment for a given patient? Methotrexate is the best-assessed antirheumatic drug, and the one with which we have the most experience. At doses of 7.5 mg to 25 mg per week, methotrexate relieves pain, reduces the number of affected joints, and provides a functional improvement. It has the adverse effects common to all immunosuppressants, particularly gastrointestinal and haematological disorders. Treatment withdrawals due to adverse effects are infrequent at the doses used in rheumatoid arthritis. Other synthetic antirheumatic drugs such as azathioprine, chloroquine and its derivatives, ciclosporin, cyclophosphamide, D-penicillamine, leflunomide, gold salts and sulfasalazine are no more effective than methotrexate. Some are less effective, and others are more toxic. When used as monotherapy in clinical trials, TNF-alpha antagonists (etanercept and adalimumab) were no more effective than methotrexate on clinical outcome after one or two years. Etanercept and adalimumab seem to have similar risk-benefit balances. In about 10 comparative trials, combination of methotrexate and a TNF-alpha antagonist was more effective than methotrexate monotherapy on functional status and symptoms, especially in initially severe rheumatoid arthritis. Although it has not been proven, the risk of severe adverse effects is likely to be higher with such combinations, and follow-up in comparative trials does not exceed two years. The use of TNF-alpha antagonists is also less convenient, as weekly injections or monthly infusions are necessary. There is no firm evidence that other combinations of antirheumatic drugs are more effective than TNF-alpha antagonist-methotrexate combinations. In patients in whom TNF-alpha antagonists had failed, a combination of rituximab and methotrexate was more effective than methotrexate alone. There is no firm evidence that tocilizumab (an interleukin inhibitor) or abatacept (a drug acting on T lymphocytes) has a better risk-benefit balance than rituximab. The symptomatic efficacy of long-term corticosteroid therapy lasts at least three months but usually less than a year. Efficacy in patients in whom other treatments have failed is uncertain. There is no evidence that introducing methotrexate soon after diagnosis, alone or in combination with a TNF-alpha antagonist, slows the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. In practice, methotrexate is the first-line antirheumatic drug. If methotrexate monotherapy is ineffective, or when rheumatoid arthritis is initially severe, adding a TNF-alpha antagonist can be beneficial. A third-line option is to combine rituximab with methotrexate.
19685204 Infliximab treatment reduces the serum levels of interleukin-23 in patients with rheumatoi 2009 In this study, we investigated the effect of the antitumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) antibody, infliximab, combined with methotrexate (MTX) and MTX alone on the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-23 and IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Infliximab combined with MTX was administered to 26 patients with RA (infliximab group), and MTX alone was given to 20 patients with RA (MTX group). We evaluated clinical and laboratory parameters, including the Disease Activity Scores of 28 joints (DAS28) and serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17 at baseline and at 14 and 30 weeks after the initial treatment with these drugs. Single regression analysis was performed between the levels of serum IL-23 and other clinical and laboratory parameters at baseline before the initial treatment with infliximab or MTX. A significant reduction of DAS28 scores was observed in both the infliximab and the MTX group at 14 and 30 weeks after the initial treatment. A significant decrease in serum levels of IL-23 was observed in the infliximab group but not in the MTX group at 14 and 30 weeks after the initial treatment. Serum IL-17 levels did not show a significant change during the follow-up period. At baseline, before the initial treatment with infliximab or MTX, serum IL-23 levels showed a significant correlation with DAS28 and the number of swollen joints. This study indicated that the reduction of serum IL-23 levels in RA patients was a novel action of infliximab.
19095031 Construction and characterization of a novel DNA vaccine that is potent antigen-specific t 2009 Jan 29 Currently available treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are often ineffective in ameliorating the progression of disease, particularly the invasive destruction of articular cartilage and bone, and RA remains incurable. Therefore, vaccinotherapy of RA with an antigen-specific tolerizing DNA vaccine may offer new promise for overcoming this difficulty. Using recombinant technology, the DNA sequences encoding chicken type II collagen (CCOL2A1) with deleted N-propeptides were obtained from the plasmid pPIC9K/pCalpha(1)(II), and then cloned into pcDNA3.1(+). The resulting recombinant plasmid pcDNA-CCOL2A1 was produced in Escherichia coli, purified, characterized and used as a tolerizing DNA vaccine for the treatment of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Therapeutic efficacy and potential action mechanisms of pcDNA-CCOL2A1 tolerizing DNA vaccine against CIA were studied. Here we demonstrate that a single intravenous treatment with novel tolerizing DNA vaccine pcDNA-CCOL2A1 can induce potent immune tolerance against CIA. The efficacy of this therapy was verified by clinical visual scoring, radiographic X-ray, histopathological examination, and anti-CII IgG levels. Furthermore, the action mechanism behind this efficacy can be at least partially attributed to increased CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells, which specifically down-modulate the T lymphocyte proliferative response to CCII, induce a shift of Th1 to Th2 cells, as well as down-regulate Th1-cytokine TNF-alpha, while up-regulating both Th2-cytokine IL-10 and Th3-cytokine TGF-beta. More importantly, pcDNA-CCOL2A1 alone seems to be as effective as the current "golden standard" treatment, methotrexate (MTX). Taken together, these results suggest that we have successfully developed a novel tolerizing DNA vaccine encoding CCII, which is the first description of a tolerizing DNA vaccine encoding CCII for antigen-specific tolerizing therapy but not prophylactic against CIA.
19459571 [Biologic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis]. 2009 Mar Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic/rheumatoid arthritis (JIA) are chronic, inflammatory, systemic, autoimmune diseases characterized by chronic arthritis leading to progressive joint erosions. The individual functional and social impact of rheumatoid arthritis is of great importance. Disability and joint damage occur rapidly and early in the course of the disease. The remarkably improved outcomes have been achieved initiating biologic therapy with close monitoring of disease progression. Biologic agents are drugs, usually proteins, which can influence chronic immune dysregulation resulting in chronic arthritis. According to the mechanism of action these drugs include: 1) anti-TNF drugs (etanercept, infiximab, adalimumab); 2) IL-1 blocking drugs (anakinra); 3) IL-6 blocking drugs (tocilizumab); 4) agents blocking selective co-stimulation modulation (abatacept); 5) CD 20 blocking drugs (rituximab). Biologics targeting TNF-alpha with methotrexate have revolutionized the treatment of RA, producing significant improvement in clinical, radiographic, and functional outcomes not seen previously. The new concept of rheumatoid arthritis treatment defines early diagnosis, early aggressive therapy with optimal doses of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and, if no improvement has been achieved during six months, early introduction of biologic drugs. The three-year experience of biologic therapy in Serbia has shown a positive effect on disease outcome.
18230627 The effectiveness of leflunomide as a co-therapy of tumour necrosis factor inhibitors in r 2009 Jan BACKGROUND: Randomised trials have demonstrated that the efficacy of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents is significantly increased by concomitant methotrexate (MTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In clinical routine, anti-TNF agents are commonly prescribed with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) than MTX, however their effectiveness in combination with anti-TNF agents is not well established. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of leflunomide (LEF) and other conventional DMARDs with MTX as co-therapy to anti-TNF agents in RA. METHODS: All patients on anti-TNF agents and conventional DMARDs within the Swiss Clinical Quality Management (SCQM)-RA database were included (n = 1218) and categorised according to the type of co-therapy into anti-TNF+MTX (n = 842), anti-TNF+LEF (n = 260) and anti-TNF+other DMARDs (n = 116). Drug discontinuation rates and incidence of toxic side effects were analysed using Cox proportional hazard models. Progression of radiographic damage, the evolution of functional disability and the improvement of RA disease activity were analysed using longitudinal regression models, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: The overall discontinuation rates of anti-TNF and conventional DMARD combination therapies were relatively high with a median survival of only 16 months (interquartile range (IQR): 10-37), but they did not differ between the three regimens (p = 0.69). The progression of radiographic damage (p = 0.77), functional disability (p = 0.09) and RA disease activity (p = 0.33) were also similar between the different regimen. In addition, no significant difference in the frequency of adverse events emerged. CONCLUSION: Overall these results suggest that LEF and potentially other conventional DMARDs offer an effective and safe alternative to MTX as co-therapy in combination with anti-TNF agents.