Window of opportunity: impact of early treatment start on functional and radiographic outcomes
| Reference (LoE) | Data source | Population | n | DMARD start | End point | Functional outcomes | Radiographic outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosello et al (2b)24 | Consecutive patients attending early arthritis clinic | RA with duration <12 months | 44 | <3 months | Presence of at least one erosion at 12 months | 27.1% | |
| 77 | ≥3 months | 45.4% | |||||
| Gremese et al (2b)25 | Consecutive patients attending 3 early arthritis clinics | RA with duration <12 months | 105 | <3 months | 12-month HAQ <0.5 | 62.7% | |
| 376 | ≥3 months | 41.3% | |||||
| Lukas et al (2b)26 | ESPOIR | Arthritis with duration <6 months | 140 | <3 months | 12-month mean radiographic progression | 0.8 units/year *,† | |
| 521 | ≥3 months | 1.7 units/year | |||||
| Weng et al (2b)32 | Western Consortium of Practicing rheumatologist study | RF+RA within 16 months from symptoms onset to DMARD initiation | 42 | <3 months | 2-year changes in HAQ and mTSS progression | −0.63±0.58 | 4.62±8.46 units/year |
| 3 | ≥10 months | −0.35±0.61 | 1.77±2.75 units/year |
*Comparison early versus late DMARD start: p<0.05.
†Propensity analysis. Data are expressed in means±SD or in percentage.
DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; ESPOIR, Evaluation et Suivi de POlyarthrites Indifférenciées Récentes; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; LoE, level of evidence; mTSS, modified total Sharp score; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.