First line of subcutaneous anti-TNF therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES This study aims to evaluate and compare the use of subcutaneous anti-TNF for RA in a Brazilian real-life setting. METHODS A prospective cohort of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) naive patients treated with adalimumab, etanercept, golimumab and certolizumab was developed. Medication persistence, disease activity by the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), functionality by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), quality of life by the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and safety were evaluated at six and 12 months. RESULTS In a total of 327 individuals, 211 (64.5%) were persistent at 12 months. Patients improved after the use of anti-TNF, with a reduction in the mean of CDAI and HAQ, in addition to an increase in the mean of EQ-5D (p 0.05). The anti-TNF were well tolerated. CONCLUSION Anti-TNF reduced disease activity, in addition to improving patients' functionality and quality of life. Additional pharmacotherapeutic monitoring can be essential to achieve better results.