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Corticosteroids in Canada – They're used more than you think

November 16 2014 10:47 PM ET via RheumReports RheumReports

According to the ACT-UP CARE study presented at the ACR 2014 meeting, corticosteroid use is prevalent in Canadian RA patients.

This study followed 200 patients who were treated with IV tocilizumab in routine clinical practice in Canada. The average disease duration of these patients was 12.5 years and the cohort consisted of patients who had failed DMARDs (20%) or who had failed one or more biologic agents (80%). One third of these patients were receiving tocilizumab as monotherapy.

The study reports that more than a third of patients (37%) were treated with oral prednisone at an average dose of 9.5 mg/day, suggesting that corticosteroids are used perhaps more than we like to think in Canada.


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About the Author

Dr. Boulos Haraoui
Dr. Boulos Haraoui

Dr. Boulos Haraoui is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and head of the Clinical Research Unit. His research interests focus on the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis.

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