Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis to Target: Recommendations of an International Task Force

Overview

Journal Ann Rheum Dis

Specialty Rheumatology

Date 2010 Mar 11

PMID 20215140

Citations 665

Authors

Josef S Smolen

Daniel Aletaha

Johannes W J Bijlsma

Ferdinand C Breedveld

Dimitrios Boumpas

Gerd Burmester

Bernard Combe

Maurizio Cutolo

Maarten de Wit

Maxime Dougados

Paul Emery

Alan Gibofsky

Juan Jesus Gomez-Reino

Boulos Haraoui

Joachim Kalden

Edward C Keystone

Tore K Kvien

Iain McInnes

Emilio Martin-Mola

Carlomaurizio Montecucco

Monika Schoels

Desiree van der Heijde

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Aiming at therapeutic targets has reduced the risk of organ failure in many diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. Such targets have not been defined for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Objective: /st> To develop recommendations for achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes in RA.

Methods: A task force of rheumatologists and a patient developed a set of recommendations on the basis of evidence derived from a systematic literature review and expert opinion; these were subsequently discussed, amended and voted upon by >60 experts from various regions of the world in a Delphi-like procedure. Levels of evidence, strength of recommendations and levels of agreement were derived.

Results: The treat-to-target activity resulted in 10 recommendations. The treatment aim was defined as remission with low disease activity being an alternative goal in patients with long-standing disease. Regular follow-up (every 1-3 months during active disease) with appropriate therapeutic adaptation to reach the desired state within 3 to a maximum of 6 months was recommended. Follow-up examinations ought to employ composite measures of disease activity which include joint counts. Additional items provide further details for particular aspects of the disease. Levels of agreement were very high for many of these recommendations (> or =9/10).

Conclusion: The 10 recommendations are supposed to inform patients, rheumatologists and other stakeholders about strategies to reach optimal outcomes of RA based on evidence and expert opinion.

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