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- Title
Tapering and discontinuation of oral glucocorticoids without deterioration of disease status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis under a stable treatment.
- Authors
Shintaro Hirata; Hiroki Kohno; Hirofumi Watanabe; Tadahiro Tokunaga; Yusuke Yoshida; Tomohiro Sugimoto; Sho Mokuda; Keisuke Oda; Takaki Nojima; Eiji Sugiyama
- Abstract
Objective: To retrospectively evaluate whether oral glucocorticoid (GC) administration can be tapered or discontinued over a 2-year observation period in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing a stable oral GC treatment, without deterioration in the disease status. Methods: Methotrexate (MTX) and prednisolone (PSL) dosages were increased and decreased, respectively, to the maximum extent possible. Concomitant biological or targeted synthetic diseasemodifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) were used as required. Changes in PSL and MTX use and disease status were evaluated at baseline (BL), year-1, and year-2. Results: Thirty-six patients were enrolled (median age, 65.4 years; disease duration, 7.1 years). The proportion of patients using PSL decreased over 2 years (100-13.9%, p<.0001). While no change was observed in the proportion of patients using MTX, the average administered dose increased at year-1 (p=.06). Moreover, b/tsDMARDs were administered in nine patients (two in year-1, seven in year-2). The Clinical Disease Activity Index remission rate increased from 25.0% to 38.9%. Serious adverse events were identified in two patients. Conclusions: Oral GC administration was discontinued without deterioration in the rheumatoid arthritis disease control.
- Subjects
GLUCOCORTICOIDS; RHEUMATOID arthritis; METHOTREXATE; PREDNISOLONE; ANTIRHEUMATIC agents
- Publication
Modern Rheumatology, 2021, Vol 31, Issue 4, p803
- ISSN
1439-7595
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1080/14397595.2020.1864914