Study: Etanercept and Methotrexate Together Better for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Combining the drugs etanercept and methotrexate instead of using them individually to treat rheumatoid arthritis may offer better results, according to a study reported in the February 28 issue of the Lancet.

Etanercept and methotrexate are known to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis; however, no data exist on concurrent initiation or use of the combination compared with either drug alone.

Lead researcher Lars Klareskog, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and his colleagues studied 686 rheumatoid arthritis patients who were randomly treated with either etanercept or methotrexate or a combination of both treatments.

The patients who received combination treatment achieved greater pain relief and less joint destruction after six months of therapy than those receiving individual drug therapy. Combination therapy patients were also more likely to be in remission after one year of treatment -- 35% compared with 16% and 13% of patients given etanercept or methotrexate alone.

Other sources: Lancet 2004; 363: 670, 675-81