Abstract
Twenty patients with active rheumatoid arthritis treated with etanercept (ETA) from March to August 2005 were enrolled. Patients’ characteristics were: 18 females and 2 males; mean age 59.4±9.5 years; mean disease duration 85.3±87.5 months; RF positive in 95.0%; Stage I/II/III/IV＝5/9/4/2: Class 1/2/3/4＝0/17/3/0; steroid use in 65.0%; mean daily dose of prednisolone 5.7±3.4 mg. The mean values of clinical and laboratory variables at baseline reflecting the disease activity at starting the ETA treatment were: swollen joints 10.8±6.1, tender joints 10.5±5.8, patient’s assessment of pain VAS 60.2±15.2 mm, patient’s global assessment of disease activity VAS 60.7±22.4 mm, physician’s global assessment of disease activity VAS 64.0±15.4 mm, MHAQ score 1.1±0.5, ESR 93.7±28.2 mm/h, CRP 5.35±3.75 mg/dl, DAS score 6.41±0.58. Moderate or better DAS28 response was achieved in 75% from Week 2. ACR20, ACR50, ACR70 and ACR90 responses were achieved at Week 12 in 95%, 75%, 40% and 10%, respectively. These figures demonstrated the high efficacy of ETA. The steroid dose could be reduced by more than 20% in 4 patients. Nineteen patients shifted to self-injection, and 19 returned to their job as workers (6) and as housewives (13). All side effects in 5 patients including injection site reaction in 4, thrombophlebitis in 1, and acute upper respiratory inflammation in 1 were mild. ETA was demonstrated to be useful in treating active rheumatoid arthritis.
