Fig. 2From: Tapering and discontinuation of TNF-α blockers without disease relapse using ultrasonography as a tool to identify patients with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical and histological remissionChanges in Disease Activity Score (DAS) values over time during the tapering and discontinuation of biologic treatment in synovial hypertrophy–positive (SH+)/power Doppler–negative (PD−) patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Forty-two SH+/PD− patients with RA were tapered on anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α therapy for 3 months. Among them, 29 SH+/PD− patients with RA (69.1 %) maintained disease remission 3 months after anti-TNF-α tapering. All SH+/PD− patients still in disease remission after anti-TNF-α tapering discontinued anti-TNF-α treatment and were followed every 3 months afterwards. Among them, 26 (89.7 %) maintained disease remission for 6 months, whereas 3 (10.3 %) had disease relapse within 6 months. Among patients with RA who completed the 12-month follow-up, 16 SH+/PD− patients (38.1 %) had a chance of disease relapse after anti-TNF-α tapering and discontinuation. US ultrasonographyBack to article page