The Lancet: Drug discovered that prevents rheumatoid arthritis

The drug abatacept, which is designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis, can also prevent the disease in people at risk. This was reported by researchers from King's College London.

The results of this clinical study were published in The Lancet journal, and it was briefly presented in a press release of MedicalXpress.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a dangerous autoimmune disease that occurs in case of a chronic reaction of the immune system against the tissues of the joints, which leads to severe joint pain and disability.

Abatacept is currently used as an effective second- and third-line treatment in humans and is given weekly either intramuscularly or intravenously.

The new study included 213 patients over the age of 18 who had early symptoms, such as joint pain, but no swelling. Half of these patients were treated with abatacept, the other half—with placebo, every week for a year. Then the drug intake was stopped, and the patients were monitored for another 12 months.

It was found that 6% of patients treated with abatacept had developed arthritis compared to 29% in the placebo arm. By 24 months, the differences were still significant, with a total of 25% progressing to rheumatoid arthritis in the abatacept arm compared to 37% in the placebo arm.

Also, it was shown that the drug can relieve pain, improve the quality of life, and relieve inflammation of the synovial membrane of the joint.

During treatment, almost all people who received the drug had no symptoms or signs, and some even went into remission.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter