Table 1.

Summary of studies supporting that early treatment of RA results in improved outcomes

Anderson et al., 2000 [12]	Meta-analysis demonstrating that RA patients with a shorter disease duration respond better to similar therapies, as compared with patients with longer-term disease.
Lard et al., 2001 [17]	In this nonrandomized study, the initiation of treatment of RA at a median of 15 days after diagnosis resulted in improved disease activity at 2 years, as compared with treatment initiated a median of 123 days after diagnosis.
Mottonen et al., 2002 [19]	Delay of initiation of RA therapy by 4 months after the onset of symptoms decreased the ability for a single drug to induce remission in early RA.
Nell et al., 2004 [14]	A case–control study demonstrating that patients with a median RA duration of 3 months had improved outcomes with similar therapies when compared with patients with a median duration of disease of ~12 months.
Finckh et al., 2006 [20]	Meta-analysis demonstrating that early treatment of RA (<1 year) results in reduced long-term radiographic progression rates, as compared with patients treated later (≥1 year).
Cush, 2007 [13]	Review article that summarizes data from subanalyses of several trials of biologic therapies in RA. Shows that early treatment (<2–3 years of disease duration) results in improved outcomes, as compared to treatment initiated in disease of ≥2–3 years duration.
van der Woude et al., 2009 [15]	Data from two large early arthritis cohorts demonstrated that sustained, DMARD-free remission of RA was significantly associated with shorter duration of symptoms of IA at time of initiation of therapy.
van der Linden et al., 2010 [21]	In a study of an early arthritis cohort, only 31 % of patients with RA were assessed within 3 months of symptom onset; assessment and treatment of RA within 3 months of symptom onset was associated with increased chance of DMARD-free remission and less joint destruction.