The University of Oslo arranges digital public defences this semester, thus the disputation will be held as a video conference over Zoom.
The public defence will follow regular procedure as far as possible, hence it will be open to the public and the audience can ask ex auditorio questions when invited to do so.
Click here to participate in the public defence
Digital Trial Lecture – time and place
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Associate professor Cornelia F. Allaart, Leiden University Medical Center
- Second opponent: Professor Patrick Verschueren, University Hospital Leuven
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Associate Professor Marte Lie Høivik, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Kristian Bjøro, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Dr. Siri Lillegraven, Diakonhjemmet sykehus
Summary
In this thesis Nina Paulshus Sundlisæter assessed achievement and prediction of different remission definitions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). She also studied the association between definitions of remission and long-term outcomes, and how to treat RA patients in sustained remission. The thesis is based on data from two randomized controlled trials, ARCTIC and ARCTIC REWIND.
Paulshus Sundlisæter showed that sustained remission was achievable in RA patients treated according to current recommendations, even if negative prognostic factors were present. Less joint tenderness and short symptom duration at time of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) initiation predicted remission. Attainment of ACR/EULAR Boolean remission had the strongest association with both a good radiographic and functional outcome.
Patients in sustained remission on conventional synthetic DMARDs were randomized to either continued stable therapy or half-dose. Patients in the stable group experienced less flares and less frequent radiographic joint damage progression the next year. Thus, continued stable therapy should be the preferred choice for RA patients in sustained remission.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.