2017 RECOMMENDATION PROPOSAL OF THE CROATIAN SOCIETY OF RHEUMATOLOGY FOR THE TREATMENT OF ADULTS WITH AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS AND PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS WITH BIOLOGIC DRUGS AND TARGATED SYNTHETIC DRUGS
Authors:
Simeon Grazio, Srđan Novak, Nadica Laktašić-Žerjavić, Branimir Anić, Đurđica Babić-Naglić, Frane Grubišić, Nikolina Ljubičić Marković, Dušanka Martinović Kaliterna, Miroslav Mayer, Joško Mitrović, Jadranka Morović-Vergles, Višnja Prus, Tea Schnurrer-Luke-Vrbanić, Tonko Vlak
Summary
Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of inflammatory rheumatic diseases that shares common etiopathogenetical, radiological, and clinical features. These diseases represent a considerable burden both for the individual patient as well as for society. In the last few years important novelties have been introduced in the classification, diagnosis, and treatment of SpA. Therefore, the Croatian Society for Rheumatology of the Croatian Medical Association has updated its proposal for the use of biologic drugs (reference or biosimilar) and introduced targeted synthetic drugs in the treatment algorithm for adult patients with SpA. Th e proposed recommendations are largely in accordance with those of renowned European and other international organizations in this field. We hope that a standardized, comprehensive, and up-to-date approach to the fullfilling criteria, drug selection, monitoring, and outcome evaluation that we applied in the full spectrum of patients with SpA will aid clinicians and other interested parties in reaching optimal treatment outcomes for these patients.