Earlier treatment with baricitinib improves quality of life and reduces damage

Once again, early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has shown to be key… this time with baricitinib under the spotlight.

Experts found that people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis experienced onset of efficacy sooner when treatment with baricitinib started earlier versus later, but in the end both groups enjoyed similar reductions in disease activity.

Baricitinib is a JAK inhibitor that interferes with the inflammatory processes within the immune system that lead to the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. It is a long-term treatment; most people notice an improvement in symptoms within four weeks of starting treatment.

“While overall disease activity improvement was similar, early start of baricitinib treatment provided faster efficacy,” the researchers explain. “A delay of up to six months in baricitinib treatment had an impact on health assessment questionnaire disability index and structural damage progression.”

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