Salmon et al identified risk factors for serious infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are treated with abatacept (Orencia). These factors can help to identify a patient who may require more aggressive management or an alternative therapy. The authors are from the French Society of Rheumatology and the ORA (Orencia and Rheumatoid Arthritis) Registry.
Patient selection: adult with rheumatoid arthritis
Risk factors for serious infection:
(1) older age (hazard ratio 1.44 per 10-year increase, based on data in Table 2 will use > 60 years of age since it is easier to use
(2) past history of serious and/or recurrent infection
The authors also noted that the presence of comorbid conditions was greater in clinical practice than in clinical trials.
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