Conclusions

Early treatment of RA patients with biologics could minimize the prolonged usage of both glucocorticoids and NSAIDs is proved in this retrospective cohort study with national insurance database. The best timing of initiation biologics found in this study is within 2.24 years of diagnosis RA. Both gender and age were found to be independent factors that could decrease days of prescription of both steroids and NSAIDs in early use of biologics agents, such as Etanercept and Adalimumab. This result has an important clinical implication that reflects updated treatment guidelines to use steroids at the lowest dose possible, compare between those patients use biologics and those not.