Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management (Aug 2018)

Azilsartan improves the effects of etanercept in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot study

  • Mahmood NMA,
  • Hussain SA,
  • Mirza RR

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 1379 – 1385

Abstract

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Naza Mohammed Ali Mahmood,1 Saad Abdulrahman Hussain,2 Raouf Rahim Mirza3 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq; 2Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Rafidain University College, Baghdad, Iraq; 3Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq Background and aim: Much evidence has emerged documenting the involvement of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in inflammatory processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of blocking RAS with azilsartan (Azil) on the clinical efficacy of etanercept (Etan) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients and methods: Forty-two patients diagnosed with active RA and poorly responding to methotrexate were enrolled in this pilot clinical study. They were randomly allocated into two groups, and treated with either Etan (50 mg/week) and placebo or the same dose of Etan with Azil (20 mg/day) for 90 days. The clinical outcome was evaluated using the Disease Activity Score-28 joint (DAS-28), simplified disease activity index (SDAI), clinical disease activity index (CDAI) and the health assessment questionnaire disease index (HAQ-DI). Blood samples were obtained for the assessment of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate at baseline and after 90 days. Results: The markers of pain and disease activity, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly improved when Azil was used, as an adjuvant with Etan, compared with the use of Etan and placebo. Conclusion: Blocking RAS with azilsartan may improve the effects of etanercept on the clinical markers of pain and disease severity of patients with active RA not responding to methotrexate. Keywords: etanercept, azilsartan, rheumatoid arthritis, DAS-28, HAQ-DI, SDAI

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