Role of infliximab in the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis

E.C. Keystone¹, B. Haraoui², V.P. Bykerk¹

¹Department of Medicine, University of Toronto; ²Department of Medicine,  Université de Montreal, Canada.

ABSTRACT
Data has been generated that infliximab may be more effective when initiated earlier in the course of disease. A subset analysis of the Attract trial has demonstrated better efficacy of infliximab in reducing joint damage in an early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population. Recently a randomized double-blind controlled trial revealed that infliximab in combination with metho-trexate (MTX) in an early RA population improved signs and symptoms as well as inhibition in radiographic progression compared with patients receiv-ing infliximab or MTX alone. The possibility of withdrawing infliximab after induction of remission with a combination of infliximab and MTX has been shown in a small pilot trial. Taken to-gether, the results support the early use of infliximab in the treatment of pa-tients with moderate to severe disease.

Key words
Rheumatoid arthritis, early, infliximab, biologic therapies.

Please address correspondence to: Edward C. Keystone, MD, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Room 1005, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada.

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2003; 21: (Suppl. 31): S200-S202.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2003.