Maxime Verhoeven

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Chapter 1: General introduction 9 PART I: Evaluation of (cost-)effectiveness of DMARD therapy approaches in treat-to-target strategies in (early) RA patients. Chapter 2: Effectiveness of remission-induction strategies for early rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic literature review. 19 Chapter 3: Initiating tocilizumab, with or without methotrexate, compared with starting methotrexate with prednisone within step-up treatment strategies in early rheumatoid arthritis: an indirect comparison of effectiveness and safety of the U-Act-Early and CAMERA-II treat-to-target trials. 41 Chapter 4: Validation of a prognostic multivariable prediction model for insufficient clinical response to methotrexate in early rheumatoid arthritis and its clinical application in Evidencio. 59 Chapter 5: Is tocilizumab monotherapy as effective in preventing radiographic progression in rheumatoid arthritis as its combination with methotrexate? 79 Chapter 6: Effectiveness and safety over 3 years after the 2-year U-Act-Early trial of the strategies initiating tocilizumab and/or methotrexate. 103 Chapter 7: Effect on costs and quality-adjusted life-years of treat-to-target treatment strategies initiating methotrexate, or tocilizumab, or their combination in early rheumatoid arthritis. 129 Chapter 8: Unravelling the cost of biological strategies in rheumatoid arthritis: a kaleidoscope of methodologies, interpretations and interests. 159