Objective:

The objective of this study was to establish recommendations for the reduction and discontinuation of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, with the aim of becoming a guide document for health professionals involved in the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis.

Materials and methods:

The recommendations were established through consensus by a panel of experts in rheumatology, and based on the analysis of available scientific evidence obtained from systematic reviews and the clinical experience of the panellists.

Results:

A total of 33 rheumatoid arthritis related studies were included, with 6 psoriatic arthritis related, and 9 ankylosing Spondylitis related. The recommendations for the reduction of biological therapies were made by establishing a plan to determine when and how to reduce the biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in patients with these 3 diseases, and in some cases lead to the discontinuation of these treatments.

Conclusion:

The recommendations established in this document will serve as a guide to improve the efficiency of biological therapy in these diseases, reduce the variability in clinical practice, and establish an adequate risk/benefit ratio.

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