Effects of half dose etanercept (25 mg once a week) on clinical remission and radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical remission achieved with standard dose

Objective This prospective long-term follow-up study evaluated the effects of half-dose etanercept (25 mg weekly) on clinical remission and radiographic progression in a large cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical remission after etanercept 25 mg bi-weekly. Methods 524 biologic-naive RA patients were treated with etanercept 25 mg bi-weekly after failure of conventional drugs. Patients achieving remission (DAS28 <2.6) for >= 12 months were randomised to receive etanercept 25 mg weekly or 25 mg bi-weekly. Patients were assessed at baseline and every 12 weeks. Remission rates, radiographic progression, incidence of infections and costs of the regimens were compared. Results After a mean follow-up of 18 +/- 11 months, 347 patients (66.2%) achieved DAS28 remission; 323 were randomised to one of two dose regimens: etanercept 25 weekly (group A, 159 patients) and etanercept 25 mg hi-weekly (group B, 164 patients). At the end of follow-up, 81.8% patients of group A maintained remission for a mean of 3.6 +/- 1.5 years. Radiographic progression occurred in a small number of patients of group A and the rate of radiographic progression (TSS >0) was not significantly different in the two groups (18.85% vs. 19.0% after the first year and 16.9% vs. 21.6% after the second year, respectively). The incidence ratio of severe infections was 2.3/1.000 patient-years in group A. Etanercept half-dose regimen resulted in a saving of (sic)3.190.545 with a cost saving up to (sic)827.318 per year. Conclusion Clinical remission and arrest of radiographic progression persisted in a substantial percentage of patients with RA even after reduction of standard-dose etanercept.