Stopping expensive biological drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis in patients who are in remission or who have low disease activity can save considerable costs, but it results in a small loss of quality-adjusted life years, according to a recent Arthritis & Rheumatology study.
In the study, stopping tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in patients with stable low disease activity, on average, was associated with a cost saving of €7133, a loss of 0.022 quality-adjusted life years, and an increase of 0.41 arthritis flares per patient per year.
“The subpopulation of patients receiving biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs including tumor necrosis factor inhibitors… has increased over time and accounted for up to 20% of the population of rheumatoid arthritis patients in various Western healthcare systems,” the authors wrote.
Additional Information
Link to Study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.40546
About Journal
Arthritis & Rheumatology, an official journal of the American College of Rheumatology, is a peer-reviewed publication for scientists and clinicians interested in the natural history, pathophysiology, treatment, and outcome of the rheumatic diseases. The journal publishes the highest quality basic and clinical research related to the rheumatic diseases, encompassing a wide range of areas of investigative activity. In addition, Arthritis & Rheumatology publishes review articles, editorials, and other educational material intended for both researchers and clinicians.
Josh Glickman
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