title: Comparison of different biologic agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after failure of the first biologic therapy.
abstract: Switching between different biologic agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has become a common practice even within similar substance groups. This longitudinal observational study was performed to follow the therapeutic management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were switched from one biologic therapy to another. We found no differences between the different biologic agents in regard to drug survival respectively efficacy, neither in the first nor in the second course of therapy. The reason to switch (side effect, lack of efficacy or loss of efficacy) did not influence the following treatment, although a lack of efficacy showed the shortest drug survival in the subsequent therapy. In conclusion, while switching between different biologic substances in rheumatoid arthritis is feasible and reasonable, the choice of substance has to be made on an individual basis.
authors.affiliation: 5th Department of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology and Rheumatology), Wilhelminen-Hospital, Vienna, Austria. christoph.strehblow@wienkav.at
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strehblow
authors.forename: Guenther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haberhauer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fasching
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D057915:Drug Substitution; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept