Initial glucocorticoid bridging in rheumatoid arthritis: does it affect glucocorticoid use over time?
Lotte van OuwerkerkPatrick VerschuerenMaarten BoersPaul EmeryPascal Hendrik Pieter de JongRobert B M LandeweWillem F LemsJosef S SmolenThomas Wj HuizingaCornelia F AllaartSytske Anne BergstraPublished in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases (2023)
In randomised trials comparing GC bridging and no GC bridging, bridgers had a more rapid clinical improvement, fewer DMARD changes and similar late use of GC compared with non-bridgers. GC bridging per protocol resulted, as could be expected, in a higher cumulative GC dose over 2 years.