Patients receiving Enbrel® (etanercept) in combination with methotrexate for early Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are more likely to continue working, according to the COMET study published recently in Rheumatology.
One year results from the COMET study - which compared the impact of methotrexate alone with methotrexate in combination with Enbrel on work productivity - showed that active early RA patients receiving the Enbrel-methotrexate combination were nearly three times less likely to stop working compared to patients receiving methotrexate alone. Furthermore, work absenteeism was reduced by almost 50 per cent in the combination group.1
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/163590.php
I've had RA for 2.5 years now, but the combo seems to keep me working fulltime with very few sick days. I'd say less than 10 sick days in that 2.5 yr time period. Do I like to work fulltime? Not really. I'd prefer 30 hrs/week as I'm beat by the end of the day and it's difficult to get motivated to do much of anything after work, but for now, fulltime is in my picture.
I hope that study works for other biologics, being recently switched to Humira.