Direct display of multiple medications work better for rheumatism

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Rheumatism patients have a worse life expectancy than people without the disease. That is, if the inflammatory conditions associated with this disorder are suppressed rapidly and continuously with the correct medication. This is the result of a ten-year investigation that the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) coordinated.

This research was recently published in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Medical specialist Renée Allaart Reumatalogie works at the department of LUMC and is involved in the investigation, as former PhD student Iris Markusse. For the study, 508 patients with rheumatoid arthritis for ten years examined every three months. In this autoimmune disease the immune system is the body, causing inflammation continuously take place in the body. "It was already known that RA must be detected quickly, because these infections otherwise cause much damage to the joints and organs," said Allaart.

BEST SUBMISSION
The purpose of this study: see which treatment is best for rheumatism. "Nowadays, there are many medications out there to choose. For those which agent is best, you can not predict. It is gambling and wait, "Allaart admits. Therefore, it is considered what works better: the one by one to try out of medications, to first give an agent and then other medications with it to be stacked on the right away or giving of multiple medications, anti-inflammatory agents such as prednisone and anti-TNF. "When you start with more resources, it is more likely that something works."

"There is every three months to see whether slapping the drugs. We have examined the joints of the patients, a blood test taken from them and asked for their complaints, "Allaart explains. "On the basis of those results, every three months were adjusted to the medication. Just so long as sufficient it was inhibited to the disease. "

SEVERE DISEASE
What seems? It is better to start early by giving multiple medications, such as prednisone. "Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious disease. People were there earlier disabled by and went before death. It was normal for an arthritis patient over a period of ten years was physically very backward. That does not happen in this study. Life expectancy is now the same as people without the disease, "said Allaart. "Participating patients were eventually ask us:" I feel good, I still have to take my pills? "So we are going to reduce medications. One out of eight patients is even stopped taking the medication. "

HUGE IMPACT
The study has had a huge impact on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients, says Allaart. "Doctors are starting with a combination of medication and trying to detect as soon as possible the disease and to suppress as much as possible." There has started a follow-up study in the LUMC, to see if rheumatism earlier detection and even stricter treat. The goal is to cure this time rheumatism. "It has not yet, but we go for it," said Allaart.