Effects of half dose etanercept (25 mg once a week) on clinical remission and radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical remission achieved with standard dose.

This prospective long-term follow-up study evaluated the effects of half-dose etanercept (25 mg weekly) on clinical remission and radiographic progression in a large cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical remission after etanercept 25 mg bi-weekly.524 biologic-naive RA patients were treated with etanercept 25 mg bi-weekly after failure of conventional drugs. Patients achieving remission (DAS28 0) was not significantly different in the two groups (18.85% vs. 19.0% after the first year and 16.9% vs. 21.6% after the second year, respectively). The incidence ratio of severe infections was 2.3/1.000 patient-years in group A. Etanercept half-dose regimen resulted in a saving of €3.190.545 with a cost saving up to €827.318 per year.Clinical remission and arrest of radiographic progression persisted in a substantial percentage of patients with RA even after reduction of standard-dose etanercept.