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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Dialing back doesn't mean falling back. A new study found that gradually tapering TNF inhibitor doses in patients with psoriatic arthritis or axial spondyloarthritis maintained low disease activity for up to 2 years — comparable to staying on full doses. The findings suggest a taper-to-target strategy can meaningfully reduce medication burden without sacrificing disease control, though real-world implementation remains a challenge.
Less medication, same results? A 24-month observational extension of the DRESS-PS trial found that a treat-to-target tapering strategy for TNF inhibitors — which involves gradually extending the interval between doses — maintained low disease activity in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) just as effectively as continuing standard dosing. The study included 114 patients who had already achieved stable low disease activity for at least 6 months.
The results held up over time. At the 24-month mark, 67% of patients in the tapering group and 72% in the control group maintained low disease activity — a difference that fell well within the prespecified noninferiority margin. Importantly, more patients in the tapering group were on a reduced dose or had discontinued TNF inhibitors altogether compared to baseline.
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Why it matters: For patients managing chronic inflammatory conditions, reducing medication exposure can lower long-term side effect risks and costs. This study supports tapering as a viable strategy — but authors caution that executing it in routine clinical practice is more complex than in a controlled trial setting.
