Cochrane · systematic review · CD010455

Down‐titration and discontinuation strategies of tumour necrosis factor–blocking agents for rheumatoid arthritis in patients with low disease activity

Verhoef, LM, van den Bemt, BJF, van der Maas, A, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2019 · Cochrane Library

Musculoskeletal2 versionsAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
21
current version
GRADE rated
19
No studies
2
Included studies
NR
No studies 2 · 9.5%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 2 · 9.5%Low 9 · 42.9%Moderate 4 · 19%High 4 · 19%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Questions and results

Show all 2 versions

Anti‐TNF dose reduction versus anti‐TNF continuation

Population: people with rheumatoid arthritis with low disease activity using a standard dose of anti‐TNF agents
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Disease activity score
Anti‐TNF dose reduction vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extracted2 studies · 501 participantsHigh
Proportion of participants with persistent remission
Anti‐TNF dose reduction vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.01 [0.8, 1.28]2 studies · 612 participantsLow
Downgraded: inconsistency
Proportion of participants switched to another biologic
Anti‐TNF dose reduction vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 0.4 [0.17, 0.93]1 study · 323 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias
Proportion of participants with minimal radiographic progression
Anti‐TNF dose reduction vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.22 [0.76, 1.95]2 studies · 553 participantsModerate
Downgraded: imprecision
Function
Anti‐TNF dose reduction vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extracted2 studies · 501 participantsHigh
Number of serious adverse events
Anti‐TNF dose reduction vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.09 [0.65, 1.82]5 studies · 1084 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Withdrawals due to adverse events
Anti‐TNF dose reduction vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.07 [0.51, 2.24]3 studies · 937 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision

Anti‐TNF discontinuation versus anti‐TNF continuation

Population: people with rheumatoid arthritis with low disease activity using a standard dose of anti‐TNF agents
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Disease activity score ‐
Anti‐TNF discontinuation vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extracted2 studies · 733 participantsModerate
Downgraded: inconsistency
Proportion of participants with persistent remission
Anti‐TNF discontinuation vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extracted6 studies · 1188 participantsLow
Downgraded: inconsistency
Proportion participants that switched to another biologic due to loss of response ‐ not measured
Anti‐TNF discontinuation vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Proportion participants with minimal radiographic progression
Anti‐TNF discontinuation vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.69 [1.1, 2.59]3 studies · 549 participantsHigh
Function
Anti‐TNF discontinuation vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extracted4 studies · 1498 participantsLow
Downgraded: inconsistency
Number of serious adverse events
Anti‐TNF discontinuation vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.29 [0.82, 2.03]8 studies · 2095 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency
Withdrawals due to adverse events
Anti‐TNF discontinuation vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.46 [0.75, 2.84]4 studies · 1116 participantsModerate
Downgraded: imprecision

Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering versus anti‐TNF continuation

Population: people with rheumatoid arthritis with low disease activity using a standard dose of anti‐TNF agents
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Disease activity score
Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extracted3 studies · 357 participantsLow
Downgraded: inconsistency
Proportion of participants with persistent remission
Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 0.89 [0.75, 1.06]1 study · 180 participantsHigh
Proportion of participants switched to another biologic due to loss of response
Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 0.62 [0.25, 1.54]2 studies · 317 participantsLow
Downgraded: imprecision
Proportion of participants with minimal radiographic progression
Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.45 [0.77, 2.73]2 studies · 312 participantsLow
Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency
Function
Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extracted1 study · 123 participantsModerate
Downgraded: imprecision
Number of serious adverse events
Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering vs anti‐TNF continuation
RR 1.24 [0.42, 3.7]2 studies · 317 participantsVery low
Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency
Withdrawals due to adverse events ‐ not measured
Anti‐TNF disease activity–guided dose tapering vs anti‐TNF continuation
no estimate extractedNRNo studies