Rheumatoid arthritis

Anti-rheumatic works with anti-cancer drug to boost tumour cell death

Researchers find that auranofin and RAPTA-T can work together to kill tumour cells.…

EMA recommends approval of tofacitinib for rheumatoid arthritis

A drug to treat people with rheumatoid arthritis is now being recommended for use across the EU – four years after the same product was refused a licence because of safety concerns.…

EMA recommends approval for oral rheumatoid arthritis drug

The European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended that baricitinib (Olumiant; Eli Lilly), an oral therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is granted a marketing authorisation in the EU.…

DMARDs do not increase post-surgical infection risk

Rates of post-surgical infections did not increase for patients taking disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and biologics, researchers discover.…

Rheumatoid arthritis patients with no response to first anti-TNF more likely to respond to non-TNF biologic

Out of 300 patients with no response to treatment with an anti-TNF therapy, those given a non-TNF biologic were more likely to have a better response compared with those given another anti-TNF.…

Anti-inflammatory drugs linked with higher risk of heart failure

High doses of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can double the risk of being admitted to hospital for heart failure. …

Referral delays for arthritis patients could have devastating consequences

I would like to highlight the devastating consequences that delayed referrals are having on people with inflammatory arthritis. The latest national clinical audit, published by the British Rheumatology Society on 25 July 2016, revealed that a high proportion of NHS services are failing to meet…

TNF-α inhibitor biosimilars as effective as branded counterparts, review finds

Biosimilar tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors have similar efficacy and safety profiles to their branded equivalents, the authors of a systematic review conclude. …

Antiphospholipid syndrome: pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment

How antiphospholipid syndrome, also known as Hughes syndrome, is diagnosed and the appropriate therapeutic options for its management.…

Blocking the immune system in rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system attacking the body. It afflicts about 1% of people in the UK and is now treated with a variety of biologic drugs that dampen the immune system in different ways…