TNF and rheumatoid arthritis: Regarding the patients with RA, the AS group was found to be more persistent in their anti-TNF therapies (+/-DMARD) in the first and in the first two years of follow-up (95%CI 10.5–17.4% of the difference in the rate of persistent patients in the first year, and 95%CI 10.5–17.5% at the end of the second year).