P Verschueren, D De Cock, L Corluy, R Joos, C Langenaken, V Taelman, F Raeman, I Ravelingien, K Vandevyvere, J Lenaerts, E Geens, P Geusens, J Vanhoof, A Durnez, J Remans, B Vander Cruyssen, E Van Essche, A Sileghem, G De Brabanter, J Joly, S Meyfroidt, K Van der Elst, R Westhovens
OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and safety of intensive combination strategies with glucocorticoids (GCs) in the first 16 weeks (W) of early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA) treatment, focusing on high-risk patients, in the Care in early RA trial. METHODS: 400 disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD)-naive patients with eRA were recruited and stratified into high risk or low risk according to classical prognostic markers. High-risk patients (n=290) were randomised to 1/3 treatment strategies: combination therapy for early rheumatoid arthritis (COBRA) Classic (methotrexate (MTX)+ sulfasalazine+60 mg prednisone tapered to 7...
January 2015: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases