LABORATORY SCREENING FOR SIDE-EFFECTS OF DISEASE-MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS IN DAILY RHEUMATOLOGICAL PRACTICE

To observe the actual laboratory screening for side effects of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in daily rheumatological pract ice, a retrospective multi-center cohort study was performed on the la boratory tests in DMARD treated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. RA patients were investigated by chart review if they started with a DMA RD (cohort 1) or were treated with a DMARD for at least one year (coho rt 2). Hematological, hepatic, and renal tests were collected. In coho rt 1 and 2, 513 and 1209 patients were included, respectively. A fairl y outlined screening profile was observed for each DMARD studied. Exce pt for antimalarials, the testing frequency decreased with time in coh ort 1. For all DMARDs the testing frequency in cohort 1 was higher tha n in cohort 2. In general, rheumatologists requested laboratory tests less frequently than is internationally recommended. This discrepancy raises questions about the relation between the efficacy and costs of laboratory screening for side effects of DMARDs in patients with RA.