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Optimizing DMARD Use in Older Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Devyani Misra, MD, MS, & Jiha Lee, MD, MHS  |  Issue: April 2024  |  April 10, 2024

In Sum

Many real-world challenges interfere with efforts to optimize the utilization of DMARD therapy for patients with late-onset RA. A need exists for increased clinical and research experience in older adults to provide data-driven practice for patients with late-onset RA. Dedicated geriatric rheumatology clinics with elements of the 5Ms incorporated within the practice will provide clinical experience. Dedicated trials and longitudinal observational studies will provide much-needed, nuanced evidence for best practice to improve the care of older adults with late-onset RA.


Devyani Misra, MD, MS, is board certified in rheumatology and geriatrics. She is affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

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Jiha Lee, MD, MHS, is a rheumatologist at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

References

  1. van Schaardenburg D, Breedveld FC. Elderly onset rheumatoid arthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum.1994 Jun; 23(6):367–378.
  2. Fraenkel L, Bathon JM, England BR, et al. 2021 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021 Jul;73(7):1108–1123.
  3. Lee J, Martindale J, Makris UE, et al. Initiation of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in older medicare beneficiaries with new diagnosis of late-onset rheumatoid arthritis. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2023 Dec;5(12):694–700.
  4. Schmajuk G, Schneeweiss S, Katz JN, et al. Treatment of older adult patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis: Improved but not optimal. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;57(6):928–934.
  5. Guo J, Huang X, Dou L, et al. Aging and aging-related diseases: From molecular mechanisms to interventions and treatments. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2022 Dec;7(1):391.
  6. Aymanns C, Keller F, Maus S, et al. Review on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and the aging kidney. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010 Feb;5(2): 314–327.
  7. Tutuncu Z, Reed G, Kremer J, Kavanaugh A. Do patients with older-onset rheumatoid arthritis receive less aggressive treatment? Ann Rheum Dis. 2006; 65(9):1226–1229.
  8. Molnar F, Frank CC. Optimizing geriatric care with the geriatric 5 Ms. Can Fam Physician. 2019 Jan;65(1):39.
  9. Dalal DS, Duran J, Brar T, et al. Efficacy and safety of biological agents in the older rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to young: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019 Apr;48(5):799–807.

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Filed under:Biologics/DMARDsConditionsRheumatoid Arthritis Tagged with:aging-sensitive careelderlylate-onset RARA Resource Centerutilization

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