Rhumatology. the rheumatoid arthritis patient who does not respond to anti-TNF
So, A.
Revue Medicale Suisse 3(93): 60-62
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 17354663 Document Number: 606428
Anti-TNF treatments have given patients with rheumatoid arthritis considerable hope and relief. However, 20-30% of patients do not respond sufficiently to a given anti-TNF drug. In this situation, current strategies include switching to an alternative agent, increasing the dose of the current agent or to return to conventional DMARDs. The arrival of new biologics, which target different molecules than TNF, opens the perspective to other pathways of immunomodulation in RA. These drugs include rituximab (anti-CD20), abatacept (CTLA4Ig) and tocilizumab (anti- IL6R). Comparative studies are urgently needed to assess the efficacy of the different treatment options in order to provide the best therapeutic strategy for our patients.