Description

The Finnish Rheumatoid Arthritis Combination-Therapy Trial performed from 1993 to 2000 investigated the efficacy of a combination of three disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) compared to a single DMARD. Patients with recent-onset active RA were randomized to the two treatment arms for 2 years, after which drug-treatment strategy became unrestricted. At baseline, 162 patients were available for work. After a 5-year follow-up, objective data on sick leave and retirement were gathered from social insurance registers, . The cumulative number of days off work was calculated. The patients who received the combination treatment incurred less RA-related work absence than those who received a single DMARD, on average 78 and 128 work disability days per year, respectively. Early treatment response had a strong impact on maintenance of work capacity. None of the patients in remission at 6 months became permanently work disabled over the 5-year follow-up, whereas 56% of the patients without 20% improvement at 6 months ended on a permanent RA- related disability pension. The monetary value of lost productivity in 5 years was 2801 and 74537, respectively.