This study was conducted to compare comorbidity rates, healthcare resource utilization, and direct costs between patients with psoriatic arthritis and those free of the disease and psoriasis [ read more ]. Merola JF, Herrera V, Palmer JB. Clin Rheumatol 2018. doi: 10.1007/s10067-018-4187-y

After 12 months there was no significant difference in the medical costs and prescriptions reported for the intervention and usual care groups, although PARTNER patients had greater prescription costs at 12 months.

Conversely, there was no significant difference between the two groups in adverse event rates or corticosteroid use, but health-related costs were lower in the patients who discontinued treatment.

They add: “Implementing T2T tapering strategies into practice will reduce TNF [inhibitor] use, and thereby patient burden, risk for adverse events and costs, while maintaining disease control.” medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare Ltd. © 2022 Springer Healthcare Ltd, part of the Springer Nature Group Ann Rheum Dis 2022; doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2022-222260

Following the recommendation for approval, the EMA will assess whether this orphan designation should be maintained. medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare Ltd. © 2021 Springer Healthcare Ltd, part of the Springer Nature Group

Marc Cohen analyzes the various economic factors influencing the price of biosimilars over recent years in rheumatology, focusing on the United States healthcare system.

Marc Cohen reviews the use of triple therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and discusses the possible reasons for its underutilization compared with biologic therapies.

“Together with the known lower costs and patient burden, our data suggest that starting with oral [methotrexate] should be the preferred strategy,” say Janne Heuvelmans (Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, the Netherlands) and fellow researchers in Rheumatology .

The researchers say that “factors associated with the superiority of the internet-based program vs self-management in this study are not clear,” and speculate that “daily delivery of individualized treatment, together with support, engagement, and nudging from health care professionals, may have played a role.” medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare Ltd. © 2021 Springer Healthcare Ltd, part of the Springer Nature Group JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4 : e210012

These endpoints “have relevance for daily practice in the COVID-19 pandemic, by reducing the length of hospitalisation, consequently diminishing costs and the need for hospital beds,” write the researchers in RMD Open.

And the probability of it being cost-effective compared with usual care was 72% from a societal perspective (healthcare plus social costs) and 52% from a healthcare only perspective.

They add: “Clinicians and patients should choose therapies by considering other important outcomes in addition to those presented in this review, such as adverse effects, out-of-pocket costs, and patient preferences.” medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare Ltd. © 2020 Springer Healthcare Ltd, part of the Springer Nature Group JAMA Intern Med 2020; doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.5651

Landewé et al conclude: “[Certolizumab pegol] maintenance dose reduction is a feasible option for the long-term management of patients with axSpA in remission, preserving the clinical benefits of remaining on TNF [inhibitor] treatment, reducing costs and limiting patients’ long-term exposure to immunosuppressive therapy.” m edwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2020 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature Group.

Vinson and team therefore conclude that their “meta-analysis highlights no remarkable difference in the rate of infectious events, in patients in the tapering treatment group or patients continuing their initial treatment schedule.” m edwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2020 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature Group Arthritis Res Ther 2020; 22 : 97

By Claire Barnard medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2019 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature group

By Claire Barnard medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2019 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature group

The investigators say that this was due to a better outcome, as measured by QALYs derived from EQ-5D scores and survival, lower costs of PKR surgery, and lower follow-up health-care costs with PKR than TKR.

By Laura Cowen m edwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2019 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature group Arthritis Rheumatol 2019; doi:10.1002/art.41031 See also: Effectiveness of tocilizumab, rituximab over other biologics demonstrated

The program included a shared laboratory system for rheumatologists and GPs, and GPs received reimbursement for the additional costs from healthcare insurance companies.