[The safety of biologics : a risk-benefit assessment of treating rheumatoid arthritis with biologics based on registry data on mortality].

The aim of this study is a risk-benefit assessment of treating rheumatoid arthritis with biologics based on registry data on mortality.UK, Sweden and Spain have published evaluable data on mortality. A parallel control group was conducted in the UK. Sweden and Spain used an historical cohort for comparison.Central registries supported British and Swedish research by sending details on all deaths. The variety of possible confounders prevents direct comparisons of the registers and safe predictions for individual patients.The death rate in TNF-inhibitor-treated patients is higher than in the general population but lower than in the control groups with RA. Thus comorbidities are not balanced, the weighted mortality rate scaled down the difference between exposed patients and controls. When TNF-inhibitors are given for the usual indication, mortality is reduced compared to conventional therapy.