CreakyJoints reports on the findings of a study led by HSS rheumatology fellow Sebastian Sattui, MD, MS, presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) annual meeting, which demonstrated compelling evidence that biologic drugs might reduce the risk of dementia in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Dr. Sattui and investigators relied on Medicare claims data that was submitted between 2006-2017. The researchers identified more than 140,000 RA patients who were enrolled in Medicare for at least one year and had no history of dementia when the study began. During the study period, nearly 3,800 of these RA patients developed dementia. The researchers determined that the incidence of dementia was significantly higher among RA patients who were being treated with a conventional DMARD (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug), than it was among those who were on a biologic drug. Patients on any biologic drug were 17 percent less likely than those using only a traditional DMARD to have developed dementia.

Read the full article at Creakyjoints.org.