Rituxan Treats Rheumatoid Arthritis 2
These accolade beforehand that top doses of steroids, which acquire abounding side effects if acclimated connected term, may not be bald in these patients.
Rheumatologist Simon Helfgott, MD, tells WebMD that this comes as no surprise. Helfgott treats rheumatoid arthritis patients at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston; he says about 40% of his patients are on biologics.
"Those of us who acquire been appliance this biologic and after this understand that you don't allegation to accordance the whopping doses of steroids that were acclimated in the ancient trials," he says.
He says Rituxan is arising as a advantageous assay for patients who fail treatment with the blast afterlife bureau (TNF)-targeting biologics, such as Enbrel, Humira and Remicade.
"The abnormality in its access of action is intriguing," he says. "Some patients blast out on all of the anti-TNF agents. It will be interesting to see how they accede to this drug."