In the tREACH trial, 281 patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to three different induction DMARD strategies: combination therapy (methotrexate, sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine), with either oral or intramuscular glucocorticoids, or methotrexate with oral glucocorticoids. At 3-month follow-up, patients who received the combination therapy had a lower disease activity score (0.39, 95% CI 0.67–0.11) than those who received methotrexate monotherapy. Intramuscular and oral glucocorticoids were equally effective bridging therapies.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
de Jong, P. H. et al. Induction therapy with a combination of DMARDs is better than methotrexate monotherapy: first results of the tREACH trial. Ann. Rheum. Dis. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2011-201162
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Combination DMARD induction therapy is best. Nat Rev Rheumatol 8, 438 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2012.103
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2012.103