Methods Data of the CENTRA (Collaboratively intENsive Treat-to-target in RA) and TARRA (Treat-to-TARget in RA) cohorts were used.

Stamp and colleagues say that the “[u]se of serum urate as a treatment target and outcome measure has become controversial in view of the 2017 American College of Physicians [ACP] guidelines, which advocated a treat-to-symptom rather than a treat-to-target serum urate approach to gout management."

However, “[t]here is growing recognition that many patients fail to respond to intensive treatments using treat-to-target approaches and understanding the reasons for treatment failure remains an important research objective,” they add.

Findings from an observational study designed to emulate a clinical trial suggest that treat-to-target serum urate-lowering strategies for gout are not associated with higher cardiovascular risk than less intensive approaches.

A learning collaborative has improved adherence to a treat-to-target approach for patients with rheumatoid arthritis irrespective of whether patients are seen virtually or face to face, show findings from an analysis of 18 US clinics.

In the RAPID3 and CDAI cohorts, a respective 15.5% and 18.1% had zero to two comorbidities, as measured using the 46-item medication-based index of chronic conditions, RxRisk, while 31.0% and 30.5% had three to six comorbidities, 27.5% and 26.5% had seven to nine, and 26.0% and 24.9% had 10 or more.

A urate lowering treat-to-target approach combined with personalized advice can help the majority of patients with gout achieve satisfactory serum urate  levels, but some modifiable barriers to target fulfillment still exist, Norwegian researchers report.

Clinical remission and normal physical function are “achievable goals” when using a treat-to-target strategy in older people with late-onset rheumatoid arthritis, but not all patients are not able to adhere to this strategy, Japanese research shows.

The treat-to-target endpoints of low disease activity, Lupus Low Disease Activity State, and remission are robust outcome measures for clinical trials in systemic lupus erythematosus, researchers report.

Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, USA Presenting author:  Hilde B Hammer, Norway What our Editorial Board said: This prospective cohort study evaluates the impact of using a treat-to-target (T2T) approach for control of serum uric acid (sUA) levels on ultrasonographic detection of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition, such as presence of tophi or the double contour sign.

An international taskforce has developed consensus recommendations for treating juvenile idiopathic arthritis to target.

Research suggests that factors predicting remission in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis vary according to the score used to define remission.

Sunday,   November 10, 16:45–17:00. Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, USA Presenting author:  Hilde B Hammer, Norway What our Editorial Board said: This prospective cohort study evaluates the impact of using a treat-to-target (T2T) approach for control of serum uric acid (sUA) levels on ultrasonographic detection of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition, such as presence of tophi or the double contour sign. The results of a 2-year follow-up of a 207 patient cohort, with intermediate analysis at 12 months, show that most patients achieved therapeutic sUA targets, and that there was a sharp reduction in ultrasound-detected of crystal deposits. This confirms the impact of a T2T strategy on reduction of MSU crystal deposits. –  Fernando Pérez-Ruiz, Spain

Ann Rheum Dis 2018; Advance online publication. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213030 Please follow the link below to view this article in full on a third-party website.

Ann Rheum Dis 2018. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213035 Please follow the link below to view this article in full on a third-party website.