Clinical and radiological outcomes of 5-year drug-free remission-steered treatment in patients with early arthritis: IMPROVED study.

Objectives: To determine the 5-year outcomes of early remission induction therapy followed by targeted treatment aimed at drug-free remission (DFR) in patients with early arthritis.

Methods: In 12 hospitals, 610 patients with early (<2 years) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or undifferentiated arthritis (UA) started on methotrexate (MTX) 25 mg/week and prednisone (60 mg/day tapered to 7.5 mg/day).

Two-year results of disease activity score (DAS)-remission-steered treatment strategies aiming at drug-free remission in early arthritis patients (the IMPROVED-study).

Background: Early suppression of disease activity in (rheumatoid) arthritis (RA) patients may result in drug-free remission and prevent damage. We assessed 2-year clinical and radiological outcomes of two disease activity score (DAS)-remission-steered treatment strategies in early arthritis patients.

Methods: Patients (n = 610) with early RA or undifferentiated arthritis (UA) were treated with methotrexate (MTX) and tapered high dose of prednisone.

Health-related quality of life and functional ability in patients with early arthritis during remission steered treatment: results of the IMPROVED study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate patient reported outcomes (PROs) of functional ability and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with early (rheumatoid) arthritis during one year of remission steered treatment.

Methods: In this study, 610 patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or undifferentiated arthritis (UA) were treated with methotrexate (MTX) and tapered high dose of prednisone. Patients in early remission (Disease Activity Score (DAS) <1.

Large-joint damage in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and its association with treatment strategy and damage of the small joints.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of large-joint damage and the association with small-joint damage in patients with RA after 8 years of low DAS (≤2.4)-targeted treatment with different treatment strategies.

Methods: Radiological data of 290 patients participating in the BeSt study, a randomized trial comparing initial monotherapy and initial combination therapy strategies, were used.

Remission induction therapy with methotrexate and prednisone in patients with early rheumatoid and undifferentiated arthritis (the IMPROVED study).

Aim: Classifying more patients as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria for RA) may improve treatment outcomes but may cause overtreatment in daily practice. The authors determined the efficacy of initial methotrexate (MTX) plus prednisone treatment in patients with 1987 or 2010 classified RA and undifferentiated arthritis (UA).

Method: 610 recent onset RA or UA patients started with MTX 25 mg/week and prednisone 60 mg/day tapered to 7.

Patient preferences for treatment: report from a randomised comparison of treatment strategies in early rheumatoid arthritis (BeSt trial).

Objective: To determine treatment preferences among patients with recent onset rheumatoid arthritis participating in a randomised controlled trial comparing four therapeutic strategies.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to all 508 participants of the BeSt trial, treated for an average of 2.2 years with either sequential monotherapy (group 1), step-up combination therapy (group 2), initial combination therapy with tapered high-dose prednisone (group 3), or initial combination therapy with infliximab (group 4).