Not All Drugs Approved for Rheumatoid Arthritis Are Equal for Pain Relief

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Source: MedPage Today

Original: https://www.medpagetoday.com/rheumatology/arthritis/119344...

Published: Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:25:59 -0500

A post-hoc analysis of phase III data in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared the effect of upadacitinib (Rinvoq) and adalimumab on residual (residual) pain on treatment. Patients who received upadacitinib and responded to treatment had significantly less persistent pain than patients who responded to adalimumab. It was an analysis of patients who had already achieved a response to treatment according to the study criteria. The study was among large, randomized phase III clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis. The primary focus of the original study was to assess efficacy and safety, this additional analysis specifically looked at pain intensity. The analysis showed a statistically significant difference in favor of upadacitinib in terms of pain relief.