This prospective study was therefore performed to compare the efficacy of abatacept in older patients vs. Thus far, frequent use and long-term maintenance of abatacept treatment have been reported in older patients with RA however, the efficacy of abatacept in older patients with RA has primarily been demonstrated via retrospective comparisons with younger patients. Compared with treatment involving other bDMARDs, abatacept treatment is also associated with a lower risk of severe infection. Furthermore, the incidence of severe infections after abatacept treatment has been reported to be similar in older and younger patients with RA, whereas greater incidences of severe infections have been observed in older patients with RA who received tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and an interleukin-6 inhibitor. Clinical trials have shown that the efficacy of abatacept is similar to that of other bDMARDs. Thus, treatment options should be established specifically for this group of patients with RA.Ībatacept selectively inhibits T cell activation and therefore suppresses the production of inflammatory cytokines and other pro-inflammatory mediators.
Although older patients with RA are at a greater risk of infection, appropriate management of disease activity can reduce this risk. Moreover, the incidence of adverse events, including infectious diseases, is greater in older patients than in younger patients with RA. Consequently, data from real-world clinical practice show that low disease activity is only achieved in approximately half of older patients with RA. Comorbidities are more prevalent in older patients with RA than in younger patients, and complications can reduce the therapeutic efficacy of DMARDs. Ĭurrently, there is a lack of prospective studies to support guidelines on the treatment of older patients with RA. The widespread use of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and Janus kinase inhibitors has greatly improved the prognosis of patients with RA. An intensive treatment strategy has been established to achieve disease remission or lower disease activity, thereby reducing bone destruction and restoring physical function. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease that is characterized by synovitis, bone erosion, and cartilage destruction, which ultimately lead to joint destruction.