Recent trials into the progression of rheumatoid arthritis show that tofacitinib could improve the activity of the disease and help reduce the advancement of the damage to joints. Rheumatoid arthritis affects millions of people across the world and is an autoimmune disease, causing inflammation and swelling in the joints. This causes pain to those who suffer with it, leading to impaired daily functions and potentially serious disability over time. This study could offer hope to those who suffer.
Tofacitinib obstructs the enzymes in the white blood cells which regulate the immune system. This drug can help to control the disease-modifying element of this system and can improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. In a two year study, 797 participants were randomised and offered either a dose of tofacitinib or a placebo then studied. The results showed that those taking a dose of tofacitinib showed an improvement in the preservation of the joint structure. They also showed less joint erosion and a smaller narrowing of the joint space, over those who were given a placebo.
The participants of the study had an average age of 53 years, with 85 percent of them being female, 54 percent non-Caucasian, and the mean duration of rheumatoid arthritis was nine years. The patients who didn’t respond to the placebo drug were then offered a trial of tofacitinib at three months, with the remaining placebo participants offered it at six months.
The proportion of patients with no radiographic progression was less than those in the placebo group, according to researchers. This confirms that tofacitinib is an effective form of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and could help improve the control of this disease for sufferers. A new oral inhibitor for the control and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been approved which could spell great news for those suffering with the disease.
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