Objective: In recent years, the use of one or more conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs has been recommended for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We performed a 52-week study on the efficacy and safety of iguratimod (IGU) against patients with RA in daily clinical use.
Methods: Forty-one patients were enrolled in this study, and the clinical course of RA was regularly evaluated during the 52 weeks of treatment.
Results: The survival rate at week 52 was 53.7%. The disease activity score (DAS) 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate, DAS28-C-reactive protein, simplified disease activity index, and clinical disease activity index were all significantly decreased at week 52. The matrix metalloproteinase-3 level was significantly decreased at week 52 by combination therapy of IGU and methotrexate. There were one case of the onset of interstitial pneumonia (IP), one exacerbation of IP, and one case of the onset of Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.
Conclusions: IGU is effective for RA patients when used for daily clinical treatment for 52 weeks.
Keywords: Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; Iguratimod; Matrix metalloproteinase-3; Methotrexate; Rheumatoid arthritis.