title: Comparison of golimumab 100-mg monotherapy to golimumab 50 mg plus methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Results from a multicenter, cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of golimumab (GLM) 50 mg + methotrexate (MTX) combination therapy and GLM 100 mg monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 115 RA patients (92 females and 23 males; median (range) age, 64 (17-87) years; median (range) disease duration, 8 (0.6-48) years) started on GLM. Eighty-three patients received GLM 50 mg/4 weeks + MTX (C group; median (range) MTX dosage 8 (2-16) mg/week), and 32 patients received GLM 100 mg/4 weeks (M group). Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), matrix metalloproteinase-3, disease activity score (DAS) 28-ESR, DAS28-CRP, simplified disease activity index, and clinical disease activity index were evaluated 4, 12, and 24 weeks after starting GLM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in disease activity, adverse events, and drug continuation rates at 24 weeks between the groups. The DAS28-ESR remission rate was 34% in the C group and 26% in the M group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GLM 100 mg monotherapy improved disease activity as well as GLM 50 mg + MTX combination therapy. GLM 100 mg monotherapy appears to have a sufficient therapeutic effect in RA patients who cannot take MTX.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine , Maebashi, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yonemoto
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine , Maebashi, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.affiliation: b Department of Rheumatology , Isesaki Fukushima Hospital , Isesaki, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.affiliation: c Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Keiyu Orthopaedic Hospital , Tatebayashi, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Keio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ayabe
authors.affiliation: d Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Inoue Hospital , Takasaki, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.affiliation: e Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Isesaki Fukushima Hospital , Isesaki, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.affiliation: d Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Inoue Hospital , Takasaki, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.affiliation: f Department of Rheumatology , Gunma Rheumatism Clinic , Takasaki, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Takenobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iso
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine , Maebashi, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Chisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okura
authors.affiliation: e Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Isesaki Fukushima Hospital , Isesaki, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.affiliation: d Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Inoue Hospital , Takasaki, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine , Maebashi, Gunma , Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagishi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000097:blood; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C529000:golimumab; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: Biologics; Golimumab; Monotherapy; Multicenter cohort study; Rheumatoid arthritis