Abstract
［Objectives］To evaluate the radiological efficacy of abatacept in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. ［Methods］ 41 patients received abatacept for at least 52 weeks; 21 patients had just started ABT, mean age was 65.2 years and the mean disease duration was 9.7 years. ［Results］ The mean values of each factor at baseline/Week 52 were as follows: CRP 2.04/0.45, ESR 43.8/24.3, MMP-3 194.4/74.7, DAS28-CRP 4.05/2.44, DAS28-ESR 4.69/3.08, SDAI 22.8/7.5, and ΔmTSS 8.59/0.63. The remission rates of DAS28-CRP, DAS-28ESR, and SDAI were 43.9％, 39.0％, and 26.8％. Total CRP and total MMP-3 until Week 52 were significantly lower in patients with structural remission compared to patients without structural remission. Factors related to the progression of joint destruction were RF negative, no use of MTX, and switching treatments. ［Conclusion］ In RA treatment by abatacept, it is useful to monitor total CRP and total MMP-3 for the evaluation of structural remission. Patients with risk factors for joint destruction should be closely monitored including more frequent TSS assessments.
