Current practice in antimalarial drug prescribing in rheumatoid arthritis.
An analytic mail survey was conducted among Canadian and Australian rheumatologists to probe current prescribing practices for antimalarial agents. Ninety-six percent of respondents prescribed antimalarial therapy for rheumatoid arthritis with a preference for the use of hydroxychloroquine. The most frequently reported risk estimates for serious retinal toxicity were 0.01 and less than or equal to 0.001. Seventy-eight percent of rheumatologists reported 1 to 50% of patients refusing antimalarial therapy, usually because of concern regarding ocular toxicity. Our study indicates the importance of presenting the relevant risk:benefit data in an accurate and comprehensible form to potential recipients.
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000639:trends*
D000962:Antimalarials; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine; D002738:Chloroquine