To analyse drug consumption in the first years of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in France, the Netherlands, and Norway, in a longitudinal study between 1991 and 1993.
The EURIDISS cohort followed up over three years included 695 RA subjects with less than 5 years disease duration. Clinical and biological parameters, drug consumption according to ATC classification, and use of local treatment were recorded.
In the Netherlands consumption of second-line treatment occurred early on, and remained constant over time. In France, it was consumed by half of the subjects and decreased during follow-up (p<0.001). In Norway, 50% of the subjects were on second-line treatment at the outset. NSAIDs rather than corticoids were the most widely consumed. Patients underwent frequently local treatments with decrease frequency of infiltrations over time (p<0.001).
Second-line treatments were used in the first years of disease development, following varying sequences in the different countries.