Effectiveness of Janus kinase inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim.  To assess the efficacy profiles of different dosing regimens of tofacitinib, baricitinib, and upadacitinib — novel selective oral Janus activated kinase inhibitors, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and methods.  Randomized controlled trials of tofacitinib, baricitinib and upadacitinib in RA were identified from MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases. Random- effects models were used to estimate pooled mean differences (MD) and relative risks (RRs). American College of Rheumatology 20 % (ACR20), Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index (HAQ-DI) were calculated.  Results. Twenty trials with an overall low risk of bias were identified. Tofacitinib, baricitinib, and upadacitinib improved RA control as deter -mined by ACR20 (RR, 2.03; 95 % CI, 1.87 to 2.20) and HAQ-DI (MD, −0.31; 95% CI, −0.34 to −0.28) compared with placebo.  Conclusion.  Tofacitinib, baricitinib, and upadacitinib significantly improve RA control. To make further decisions, comparative clinical trials of the Janus kinase inhibitors in the real-world clinical practice are necessary.