RETREAT(F) RCT Arm

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  RETREAT(F) (REmoval of Treatment for patients in REmission in psoriatic ArThritis – Feasibility study). A randomised controlled trial to compare withdrawal of therapy versus continuing therapy in low disease states in psoriatic arthritis – feasibility study, RCT Arm

• IRAS ID

  103434

• Contact name

  Philip Helliwell

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Leeds

• Eudract number

  2012-003736-23

• ISRCTN Number

  N/A

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  N/A

• Research summary

  Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis in the presence of psorias and associated with significant disability and poor quality of life. PsA is the second most important inflammatory arthritis in rheumatology, causing equivalent pain and disability to rheumatoid arthritis. Conventional disease modifying drugs used in arthritis have limited effectiveness in PsA. New powerful drugs such as TNF inhibitors are highly effective against the skin and the joints but they are expensive and have potentially serious side effects. In addition, the long-term effects of immunosuppressant therapy are unknown. Those whose PsA is now in remission due to these drugs, often ask if they can stop taking them. This study is the first step in designing a larger study that will test whether the systematic withdrawal of all medication can be achieved successfully and without symptom flare up. This randomised feasibility study will provide data to enable power calculations for a full randomised controlled trial of treatment withdrawal for people in a stable low disease state. We will compare standard treatment with phased treatment withdrawal over a 3 month period, and explore barriers to recruitment.

• REC name

  North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  12/NE/0384

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Nov 2012

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion