Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Low-dose rhTNFR: Fc Combined with Methotrexate in Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination use of low-dose rhTNFR: Fc and methotrexate(MTX) in the patients with active rheumatoid arthritis(RA).Methods Sixty-five patients with active RA were divided into two groups: Group A(n=35),treated with combined use of hypodermic injection of low-dose rhTNFR: Fc(12.5 mg·W-1) and orally administration of MTX(10 to 15 mg weekly),and group B(n=30),treated with orally administration of MTX(10 to 15 mg weekly).Arthrocele,joint tenderness,the time of early morning stiffness,and the changes of ESR and RF were recorded before the treatment,one month and 24 months after the treatment.Staging by X-ray and Disease Active Score 28(DAS28) were determined before and 24 months after the treatment.Drug adverse reaction was recorded during the treatment.Results Clinical indicators were significantly improved better in group A than in group B one month after the treatment(P0.01).Changes of staging by X-ray in group A were significantly less than those in group B(P0.05).There was no significant difference in the drug adverse effect between the two groups.Conclusion Low-dose rhTNFR: Fc combined with MTX can reduce joint inflammation,improve physical function rapidly,and retard radiological progression of RA.The efficacy and safety is good.