International journal of rheumatic diseases
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Clinical effectiveness and safety of additional administration of tacrolimus in rheumatoid arthritis patients with an inadequate response to abatacept: A retrospective cohort study.
Abatacept (ABT) demonstrates good clinical efficacy and retention in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. However, no rescue treatment option against inadequate response to ABT exists. Since tacrolimus (TAC) and ABT suppress T lymphocytes via different mechanisms and a combination of these agents could potentially be effective, this study aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of add-on TAC therapy in RA patients with inadequate response to ABT. ⋯ This is the first report describing the efficacy and safety profile of add-on TAC therapy with a focus on RA patients with inadequate response to ABT. Our findings suggest that add-on TAC therapy is a worthwhile complementary treatment option in daily clinical practice.