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Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness, safety and anti-destructive effect of anti-B-cell therapy (rituximab) in various combinations (RTM-mono, RTM + DMARD, RTM + GK) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in real clinical practice.Materials and methods: Clinical and radiological evaluation of 110 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who received rituximab therapy (RTM) as monotherapy (group 1), in combination with methotrexate (group 2), leflunomide (group 3), and group 4 with other basic anti-inflammatory drugs.Results: When assessing at 48 weeks of treatment with these regimens, the achievement of remission and a low degree of activity was observed in 22.36% of patients. An X-ray evaluation showed the absence of progression in the total score in 60.9%. When assessing progression in the monotherapy group, there was no progression in 76.92%, in the group of PTM + MT – in 54.29%, in the group of PTM + LEF – 65.0%, in the group of other DMARDs – 50% of patients. When assessing the clinical effect in the group receiving GK – remission and a low degree of activity – 19.67% of patients, in the group without GK – 21.05%. Assessing the radiological dynamics, it was shown that in the group not receiving GK – inhibition by the total score occurred in 54.55%, receiving – 61.54%.Conclusion: This work has demonstrated the high therapeutic efficacy of RTM in real clinical practice. There were no significant differences in the degree of progression depending on the concomitant therapy of DMARDs or GK. In the treatment of RTM, inhibition of articular destruction is possible even against the background of clinical deterioration.

The aim of the study was to study the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of trivalent split influenza vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), systemic scleroderma (SSD). Material and methods. Ninety three patients were enrolled in the study, including 52 patients with RA, 34 with AS, 7 with SSD, and also 40 persons without rheumatic diseases (RD) (control group). At the time of enrolment, all patients received RD drug therapy. The duration of RD was from 2 months up to 46 years. Vaxigrip vaccine, which included the actual strains of influenza virus for the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 seasons was administered subcutaneously in the amount of 1 dose (0.5 ml) against the backdrop of continuing RD therapy. The main stages of control were visits at 1-, 3- and 6-month intervals after vaccination. Standard clinical and laboratory tests, a clinical examination of the patient and assessment of disease activity were performed during the visits. Immunogenicity of the vaccine was evaluated at each stage of the control procedure using the commercial ELISA kits manufactured by PPDP LLC (St. Petersburg). Results. No cases of influenza or influenza-like illness were recorded during the entire period of observation. 81% of patients had no post-vaccination reactions in the RD group. Pain, swelling and hyperaemia of the skin with a diameter of up to 2 cm at the injection site were reported in 14% of cases and subfebrility, myalgia, malaise, headache in 5% of cases. The frequency of postvaccinal reactions among patients was not significantly different from that in the control group. There were no cases of exacerbation of RD or the occurrence of any new autoimmune disorders. The parameters of the humoral immune response in patients with RD did not significantly differ from those in the control group. Conclusion. The obtained data testify about good clinical efficacy and tolerability of trivalent split influenza vaccine in patients with RD.

Tofacitinib (TOFA) was the first synthetic small molecule drug which was comparable with genetically engineered biological agents (GIBA) in terms of its therapeutic effect in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Results of treatment of over 4 thousand RA patients showed that the most common adverse events were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory infections and urinary tract infections, herpes, diarrhea, nausea, gastritis. Serious side effects were registered in 15.4% of patients, and serious infections in 4.5%. Opportunistic infections occurred in 0.6% of patients, half of which were cases of tuberculosis. Anemia, hemocytopenia, increased lipidemia, a mild temporary decrease in glomerular filtration rate and increased creatinemia were also recorded. There were no anaphylactic or other immediate reactions. TOFA administration results were not different from those after treatment with GIBA in terms of mortality, incidence of infections and cancer.