Article
Rheumatology
Emilie Sapart, Tatiana Sokolova, Stephanie de Montjoye, Stephanie Dierckx, Adrien Nzeusseu, Aleksandra Avramovska, Patrick Durez
Summary: The study evaluated the use of glucocorticoids in patients with early RA and found that glucocorticoids were more prescribed in seronegative RA patients with higher inflammation levels. However, a 5-year follow-up showed that initiating glucocorticoid treatment did not provide additional benefits for disease control in the short and long term.
Article
Rheumatology
Lisa P. Crowson, John M. Davis III, Andrew C. Hanson, Elena Myasoedova, Vanessa L. Kronzer, Ashima Makol, Lynne S. Peterson, Delamo I. Bekele, Cynthia S. Crowson
Summary: This study found that the use of glucocorticoids (GCs) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has increased during the biologic era. More patients are initiating GCs early in their disease course now compared to previously, despite the availability of biologics. The rates of GC discontinuation were similar in both time periods.
SEMINARS IN ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Lotte van Ouwerkerk, Maarten Boers, Paul Emery, Pascal H. P. de Jong, Robert B. M. Landewe, Willem Lems, Josef S. Smolen, Patrick Verschueren, Tom W. J. Huizinga, Cornelia F. Allaart, Sytske Anne Bergstra
Summary: This study investigated whether patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can discontinue glucocorticoids (GC) after GC 'bridging' in the initial treatment step and identified factors that may affect this. The probability of using GC decreased over time after bridging therapy ended, while the probability of continuous GC use increased. In oral GC bridging studies, the probabilities of later and continuous GC use and the cumulative GC doses were higher compared to studies that included parenteral GC bridging.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Lotte van Ouwerkerk, Patrick Verschueren, Maarten Boers, Paul Emery, Pascal Hendrik Pieter de Jong, Robert B. M. Landewe, Willem Lems, Josef S. Smolen, Tom W. J. Huizinga, Cornelia F. Allaart, Sytske Anne Bergstra
Summary: In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the use of glucocorticoids (GC) as bridging therapy resulted in a more rapid clinical improvement and fewer changes in medication, but similar long-term GC use compared with patients who did not receive bridging therapy.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Sofia Pazmino, Annelies Boonen, Diederik De Cock, Veerle Stouten, Johan Joly, Delphine Bertrand, Rene Westhovens, Patrick Verschueren
Summary: The study found that in early rheumatoid arthritis patients, the initial use of oral glucocorticoid bridging can lead to lower chronic NSAID and analgesic use.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Hye-Won Yun, Chun-Ja Kim, Ji-Won Kim, Hyoun-Ah Kim, Chang-Hee Suh, Ju-Yang Jung
Summary: The study found that male sex, low BMI, and use of TNF inhibitors were associated with low muscle mass in RA patients, while old age and low BMI were associated with sarcopenia.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Rheumatology
Meriah N. Moore, Beth Wallace
Summary: Recent studies have shown that a significant proportion of RA patients use glucocorticoids and/or opioids long-term, with varying risks and factors influencing exposure. Opioids may lead to delays in effective treatment initiation. Evidence increasingly demonstrates toxicity associated with even low-dose glucocorticoids, and some patients may be able to discontinue them without adverse effects.
CURRENT OPINION IN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Rheumatology
Sytske Anne Bergstra, Alexandre Sepriano, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Desiree van der Heijde, Roberto Caporali, Christopher John Edwards, Patrick Verschueren, Savia de Souza, Janet E. Pope, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Kimme L. Hyrich, Kevin L. Winthrop, Daniel Aletaha, Tanja A. Stamm, Jan W. Schoones, Josef S. Smolen, Robert B. M. Landewe
Summary: This systematic literature review examines the efficacy, duration of use, and safety of glucocorticoids (GCs) in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study confirms the effectiveness of GCs in treating RA, with most patients able to stop GCs within 12-24 months. However, the use of GCs also carries well-known safety risks, including osteoporotic fractures, serious infections, diabetes, and mortality.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Lotte van Ouwerkerk, Andriko Palmowski, Isabell S. Nevins, Frank Buttgereit, Patrick Verschueren, Josef S. Smolen, Robert B. M. Landewe, Johannes J. W. Bijlsma, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Rene Westhovens, Tom W. J. Huizinga, Cornelia F. Allaart, Sytske Anne Bergstra
Summary: Studies on the success rate of glucocorticoid discontinuation in newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients using temporary GC as initial therapy are limited. Most clinical trials showed a successful discontinuation rate of 78% at 12 months and 90% at 24 months, despite substantial heterogeneity.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Melek Guler-Yuksel, Martijn Kuijper, Reinhard Bos, Esmeralda Molenaar, Jasper Emmering, Sylvia Eshuis, Adams Human, Floor Reimann, Maarten Boers, Marc R. Kok
Summary: This study investigated the effect of 2 years of add-on prednisolone on body weight and composition in older patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results showed that patients treated with prednisolone gained about 1 kg in weight, mostly lean mass, compared to minimal weight loss in the placebo group. There was no significant increase in total fat mass or redistribution of fat.
Article
Rheumatology
Alycia Delteil, Celine Lambert, Bruno Pereira, Marion Couderc, Sandrine Malochet-Guinamand, Marie Eva Pickering, Marc Villedon, Sylvain Mathieu, Martin Soubrier, Anne Tournadre
Summary: This study analyzed the use and trajectories of glucocorticoids (GCs) in a real-life cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The results showed that GCs were used by nearly half of the patients, and the majority of GC users maintained a low dose of GCs over a period of 2 years. These findings highlight the challenges in discontinuing GCs, the lack of consensus regarding the efficacy-safety balance of GCs, and the importance of individualizing GC tapering strategies.
Article
Rheumatology
Anthony James Ocon, George Reed, Dimitrios A. Pappas, Jeffrey R. Curtis, Joel M. Kremer
Summary: The study found that initiating glucocorticoids in steroid-naive RA patients is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, especially at daily doses of >= 5mg, cumulative doses exceeding 1100mg, and durations longer than 81 days. No increased risk was found at lower doses or shorter durations.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Rheumatology
Giovanni Adami, Angelo Fassio, Maurizio Rossini, Davide Bertelle, Francesca Pistillo, Camilla Benini, Ombretta Viapiana, Davide Gatti
Summary: Reducing glucocorticoid doses in rheumatoid arthritis patients can effectively decrease the risk of disease flare-ups. However, choosing the right tapering strategy remains challenging. The study found that tapering glucocorticoids to doses of 2.5 mg/day or below was associated with a higher risk of flare, suggesting the need for better tapering strategies to reduce the risk of recurrence in rheumatoid arthritis patients on biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
Article
Immunology
Shu-Lin Chen, Qiang Xu, Chang-Song Lin
Summary: A study found that the therapeutic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated with thyroid function, with methotrexate being linked to decreased levels of total thyroxine (TT4) and glucocorticoids being linked to decreased levels of total triiodothyronine (TT3).
INFLAMMOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Mary Safy-Khan, Maria J. H. de Hair, Paco M. J. Welsing, Jacob M. van Laar, Johannes W. G. Jacobs
Summary: Current smoking significantly reduces the clinical effect of an MTX-based treatment strategy in patients with early RA, independent of concomitant prednisone use. This negative effect is dose-dependent.
JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)
