RA: Do autoantibodies disappear in treatment-free remission?

Patients who are free of rheumatoid arthritis synovitis for years after ceasing treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs usually still have autoantibodies in their blood, Dutch researchers say.

In the first research to look at the serology of RA patients in such long-term drug-free remission, a significant decline in mean levels of rheumatoid factor is seen but it usually doesn't disappear completely.

The findings indicate that treating to a target of autoantibody disappearance is not appropriate, the