Recommendations by the Spanish Rheumatology Society for the Management of Patients Diagnosed With Rheumatoid Arthritis who Cannot Be Treated With Methotrexate

Translating IL-6 biology into effective treatments

“…On the basis of these results, EULAR recommendations for the management of RA named IL-6 pathway inhibitors as one of the preferred treatment options for patients for whom methotrexate is inappropriate 60 . Interestingly, the clinical benefits of IL-6 inhibition might be attributable, in part, to the beneficial effects of IL-6 inhibition on bone and cartilage turnover, which are supported by data from prospective cohort studies showing that tocilizumab monotherapy achieves better repair of focal bone erosions than TNF inhibition in patients with RA [60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70] . Besides promoting joint inflammation and damage through effects on chondrocytes, osteoclasts, macrophages and fibroblasts, IL-6 mediates systemic inflammation in RA.…”