title: Genetic and epigenetic predictors of responsiveness to treatment in RA.
abstract: Methotrexate and TNF-blocking agents are the DMARDs most commonly prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, not all patients treated with these nonbiologic and biologic DMARDs respond satisfactorily and few predictors of treatment efficacy have been identified, despite the fact that these therapies have now been available for many years. Many studies have investigated genetic factors that might predict patient responsiveness to therapies used to treat RA, and epigenetic studies regarding response to treatment are expected to accumulate in the literature in the near future. Herein, we review the advances in identifying genetic and epigenetic predictors of therapeutic responses to methotrexate and/or TNF inhibitors in RA that have been made to date, and highlight important considerations for future studies, such as the need for an improved, preferably biological, outcome measure reflecting response to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Arthritis Research UK Centre of Excellence for Musculoskeletal Genetics, Manchester Academy of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine & Medical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Anthony G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Arthritis Research UK Centre of Excellence for Musculoskeletal Genetics, Manchester Academy of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008727:Methotrexate