Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Sage Infusion Can Provide Relief
Over 1.3 million people live with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to the American College of Rheumatology.
Women are about two to three times more likely to get RA than men. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting your joints and causes swelling and pain. In some people, the condition can damage various body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels.
An autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. Unlike the wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.
The inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis is what can damage other parts of the body as well. Patients traditionally are prescribed oral medications to treat their symptoms. And while new types of medications have improved symptoms and treatment options dramatically, patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis can still develop physical disabilities, find that their medication is simply not working or can have a difficult time taking oral medications.
Luckily for patients there is another treatment option – infusion therapy. Infusions target the immune system and prevent inflammation that causes RA symptoms. This treatment can start to provide relief from symptoms and or patients start to notice an improvement within weeks to months of getting their first infusion. Some infusion treatment options that have shown results are:
Actemra
Actemra is a prescription medicine called an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor antagonist. Actemra is used to treat adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after at least one other medicine called a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) has been used and did not work well. One dose of Actemra is given every four weeks to treat patients.
Actemra infusions have been studied in five key clinical trials, including over 4,000 people living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
These studies tested how well infusions worked for people with RA, and the side effects associated with receiving Actermra.
• 70% of people getting Actemra infusions achieved an ACR20 response after six months
– That means they saw a 20% improvement in their swollen and tender joints and other RA symptoms
• 53% of patients taking methotrexate alone as their RA treatment achieved that same response
Orencia
Orencia assesses signs and symptoms of moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis in adults 18 years and older. Taking Orencia may prevent further damage to your bones and joints and may help your ability to perform daily activities. Orencia may help those who are not getting the results they need with other medicines for RA. In adults, Orencia may be used alone or with other RA treatments other than Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists.Patients receive the first three infusions two weeks apart from each other (Weeks 0, 2, and 4). After that, they receive an infusion every four weeks.
• In a clinical study of 256 people with RA, 41% of people achieved a low level of disease activity with Orencia and methotrexate compared with 23% of people taking methotrexate alone based on disease scores.
Simponi Aria
Simponi Aria is a prescription medicine used to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults, used in combination with methotrexate and active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in people 2 years of age and older. Simponi Aria targets, binds with, and blocks excess TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), an underlying cause of inflammation.
A short 30-minute infusion is given as two starter doses four weeks apart. Then the patient receives infusions every eight weeks.
• In a medical study of 395 patients with RA, 59% of patients treated with Simponi Aria when taken with methotrexate (MTX) saw improvement in symptoms of RA (joint pain, stiffness, and swelling) at 14 weeks, compared to 25% of the 197 patients treated with MTX alone.
• 71% of 395 patients treated with Simponi Aria• when taken with MTX had no further joint damage as seen on X-ray at 24 weeks, compared to 57% of the 197 patients treated with MTX alone.
Results of the study were measured against the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria at week 14 and week 24 respectively.
Sage Infusion Can Help
At Sage Infusion, we provide expert patient-centered infusion care in a contemporary boutique environment. Sage Infusion offers RA infusion treatments to patients and will handle the care coordination process with the referring physician, including insurance authorization and patient progress updates. Our flexible scheduling meets our patient’s needs with extended hours. Day, night, and weekend appointments are available. Our physician assistants and nurse practitioners follow the National Infusion Center Association guidelines and our proprietary clinical protocols. Sage Infusion offers a variety of comforting amenities, and patients can choose to receive treatment in the open lounge or a private room.
With locations in Fort Myers, Clearwater, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa, and The Villages Sage Infusion offers the best infusion and administration facilities in the Sunshine State. At Sage Infusion, we’ve reimagined patient care. From a quick start, to upfront pricing and financial assistance to compassionate care by our clinical experts in a serene environment, you will experience infusion therapy like never before. Sage Infusion accepts most insurance providers and will complete your prior authorization process.
A short 30-minute infusion is given as two starter doses four weeks apart. Then the patient receives infusions every eight weeks.
• In a medical study of 395 patients with RA, 59% of patients treated with Simponi Aria when taken with methotrexate (MTX) saw improvement in symptoms of RA (joint pain, stiffness, and swelling) at 14 weeks, compared to 25% of the 197 patients treated with MTX alone.
• 71% of 395 patients treated with Simponi Aria• when taken with MTX had no further joint damage as seen on X-ray at 24 weeks, compared to 57%
of the 197 patients treated with MTX alone.
Results of the study were measured against the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria at week 14 and week 24 respectively.
Sage Infusion Can Help
At Sage Infusion, we provide expert patient-centered infusion care in a contemporary boutique environment. Sage Infusion offers RA infusion treatments to patients and will handle the care coordination process with the referring physician, including insurance authorization and patient progress updates. Our flexible scheduling meets our patient’s needs with extended hours. Day, night, and weekend appointments are available. Our physician assistants and nurse practitioners follow the National Infusion Center Association guidelines and our proprietary clinical protocols. Sage Infusion offers a variety of comforting amenities, and patients can choose to receive treatment in the open lounge or a private room.
With locations in Fort Myers, Clearwater, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa, and The Villages Sage Infusion offers the best infusion and administration facilities in the Sunshine State. At Sage Infusion, we’ve reimagined patient care. From a quick start, to upfront pricing and financial assistance to compassionate care by our clinical experts in a serene environment, you will experience infusion therapy like never before. Sage Infusion accepts most insurance providers and will complete your prior authorization process.
(239) 533-5962
sageinfusion.com/swwellness
8880 Gladiolus Drive, Suite C-200
Fort Myers, FL 33908
