Efficacy of synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): a systematic literature review informing the 2025 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors' conclusion
Although few phase 3 trials on novel agents were available, strategic and head-to-head studies provided important insights that enabled further refinement of the established treatment algorithm.
Study context
- Population
- Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of csDMARDs, bDMARDs, tsDMARDs, glucocorticoids (GCs) and biosimilars in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), published 14 January 2022 to 22 January 2025; additional searches on RA ILD and RA prevention in at-risk individuals72 studies
- Outcome
- Included evidence
Methodological detailsinforming the 2025 update of the EULAR RA management recommendations, Medline (PubMed), Embase (OVID), Cochrane CENTRAL and Web of Science searched
- Informing the 2025 update of the EULAR RA management recommendations
- Medline (PubMed), Embase (OVID), Cochrane CENTRAL and Web of Science searched
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- References identified
- 12,567
- Full-texts reviewed
- 390
- Studies included
- 72
- Novel compounds assessed in phase 2 RCTs
- 12
- Articles investigating GCs
- 3
- RCTs of antifibrotics (nintedanib, pirfenidone) for RA ILD
- 2
- Studies of DMARDs for RA prevention in at-risk populations
- 7
Original publication
Efficacy of synthetic and biological DMARDs: a systematic literature review informing the 2025 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. Published 16 April 2026. doi:10.
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