Methotrexate in combination with other DMARDs is not superior to methotrexate alone for remission induction with moderate-to-high-dose glucocorticoid bridging in early rheumatoid arthritis after 16 weeks of treatment: the CareRA trial
Annals of the Rheumatic DiseasesPublished 31 October 2014Open access
Patrick Verschueren, Diederik De Cock, Luk Corluy, Rik Joos, C. Langenaken, V. Taelman
Citations124
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score5.73
SNIP4.44
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TL;DR
For high-risk eRA, MTX associated with a moderate step-down dose of GCs was as effective in inducing remission at W16 as DMARD combination therapies with moderate or high step- down GC doses and it showed a more favourable short-term safety profile.
Abstract
2008-007225-39.
Keywords
Medicine
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