Breakthrough Study: Abatacept May Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis, New Research Shows

Where does this news come from?

It concerns an existing medicine, abatacept (brand name Orencia), which only exists in injections and is used for diseases related to disturbances in the immune system. Rheumatoid arthritis (often referred to simply as rheumatism, although that is not entirely correct) is one autoimmune disease: the body then produces antibodies against its own tissue. Abatacept intervenes.

Doctors have been using abatacept for some time therapy of rheumatoid arthritis. According to new research, it would too preventive can work. The article discusses that The last newsfor which Martijn Peters examined the study (1).

This new scientific study included 213 patients at increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (2).

• They were randomly and equally divided into two groups, one group receiving the treatment and the other a placebo. Both groups were then followed up for one year.
• Both the participants and the researchers did not know who received the treatment and who received the placebo.
• After one year there was one a clear difference to see between the two groups. The abatacept group developed less rheumatoid arthritis.
• But when the treatment was stopped, disappeared that difference (2).

Bron

(1) Breakthrough in rheumatoid arthritis treatment? Scientists discover that medicine may prevent this disease. The last newsFebruary 20, 2024.

How should you interpret this news?

So far it has not been possible to cure rheumatoid arthritis, but fortunately there is a good treatment. Getting the diagnosis and treatment early will help prevent the complaints the Reduce and prevent your joints from damage. Abatacept, the drug this study examines, suppresses the immune system in thus inhibits inflammation.

This research shows that the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is possible postponed are treated with abatacept during the period that people with an increased risk of this disease (this can be tested), but they must medicine well keep getting. The results are in line with results from previous studies, where early treatment with abatacept also delayed, but did not completely prevent, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Whether abatacept will ultimately be able to completely prevent the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis remains to be determined (6).

We can therefore conclude that, to date, there is no treatment that can prevent the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, we will also have to weigh costs and benefits whether it is useful to identify people at increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis in order to start this medication early. Further research is needed for this (2, 6).

Conclusion

A new study investigated whether abatacept, a drug used for rheumatoid arthritis, can also prevent the disease in people at increased risk. This appears to be the case, as shown by the study, in which a group of people with an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis received injections of the drug for a year. However, as soon as the treatment was stopped, they still developed rheumatism. It is not certain whether abatacept will be able to prevent rheumatoid arthritis.

References
2024-03-05 03:24:40
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