Etanercept versus etanercept plus methotrexate a registry-based study suggesting that the combination is clinically more efficacious.docVIP

Available online /content/5/6/R347 Open Access Research article Etanercept versus etanercept plus methotrexate: a registry- based study suggesting that the combination is clinically more efficacious Ronald F van Vollenhoven1, Sofia Ernestam2, Anders Harju1, Johan Bratt2 and Lars Klareskog1 1Department of Rheumatology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden 2Department of Rheumatology, Huddinge Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden Correspondence: Ronald F van Vollenhoven (e-mail: ronald.vanvollenhoven@ks.se) Received: 27 May 2003 Revisions requested: 26 Jun 2003 Revisions received: 14 Aug 2003 Accepted: 19 Aug 2003 Published: 1 Oct 2003 Arthritis Res Ther 2003, 5:R347-R351 (DOI 10.1186/ar1005) ? 2003 van Vollenhoven et al., licensee BioMed Central Ltd (Print ISSN 1478-6354; Online ISSN 1478-6362). This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the articles original URL. Abstract Etanercept can be used both as monotherapy and in combination with methotrexate (MTX), but direct comparisons of these two options have not yet been reported. In order to compare the results seen in actual practice between these two options, clinical data on 97 patients followed in the Stockholm TNFα Follow-Up Registry were analysed. In 57 of these patients etanercept was added to previously started MTX while the others were treated with etanercept alone. The two groups had similar levels of disease activity at baseline. After 3 months, a significantly lower mean disease activity score (28-joint count-based disease activity score) was attained by the patients on etanercept plus MTX. In this group, the number of patients achieving European League Against Rheumatism-defined remission was also significantly greater. Other disease outcomes showed non-significant trends in the