Scientists from Leiden University found initiating early treatment benefits patients who have not fully developed rheumatoid arthritis, but who are manifesting preliminary stages of the disease.
By temporarily prescribing methotrexate in the “pre-rheumatic phase,” people suffer from reduced long-term joint inflammations, pain, and physical limitations.
The research is published in The Lancet and was conducted by Annette van der Helm et al.
At present, methotrexate is only prescribed to the patient following a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis. But that is too late. By then, the disease is already considered chronic.
The researchers hope to prevent or reduce the disease burden by giving methotrexate to patients likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.
In the study, the team tested more than 230 patients. All suffered from joint pain and inflammation, which could be seen on the MRI, and was thought to be a rheumatism precursor.
Pre-rheumatoid patients were treated with methotrexate or a placebo for one year. Another one-year follow-up enabled researchers to see if the effects of the treatment persisted.
The team found the patient group that had been temporarily prescribed methotrexate endured less pain, morning stiffness, and daily functioning impediments. MRI scans also showed fewer joint inflammations.
This is an important step toward reducing disease burden for this group of patients. Moreover, it serves as initial evidence for initiating treatment in the ‘pre-rheumatic’ phase.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common autoimmune disease worldwide. It causes the immune system to attack the joints. Usual treatment only suppresses the disease.
This chronic disease is extremely burdensome to patients and their families. This study is paving the way toward arthritis prevention.
To achieve this completely, a greater understanding of the molecular processes underlying the chronic nature of rheumatoid arthritis is necessary.
If you care about arthritis, please read studies about a new way to strongly reduce pain and inflammation in arthritis, and this arthritis drug could reduce the death rate in COVID-19.
For more information about arthritis, please see recent studies about a new cause of arthritis, and gut problems that could contribute to arthritis.
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