Tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors, methotrexate or both? An inquiry into the formal evidence for when they are to be used in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective. The relative high cost and potential side effects mandate careful scrutiny as to when tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) inhibitors should be used in everyday practice. We surveyed how TNF inhibitors performed in randomized controlled trials when compared to methotrexate in methotrexate naive rheumatoid arthritis patients.