Non-inferiority of Reduced-dose Rituximab in Rheumatoid Arthritis in Low Disease Activity and Remission

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of RA according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) / European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria * Current treatment with RTX (at time of inclusion have already received at least 2 cycles of 1000mg RTX) at the Day-Clinic of the Division of Rheumatology of the Medical University of Vienna * Persistent low disease activity or clinical remission as defined below * Persistent clinical remission (pREM) will be defined as a simplified disease activity index (CDAI) (12) ≤2.8 measured at two time-points 6 months apart. The CDAI is calculated as follows: tender joint count (TJC) + swollen joint count (SJC) + patient's assessment of general health on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (GH) + evaluator's assessment of general health on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (EGH) * Persistent low disease activity (pLDA) will be defined as a CDAI ≤10 measured at two timepoints 6 months apart Patients who achieve REM at only either one of the two successive time-points will be considered as having pLDA with regard to the current trial Exclusion Criteria: * Patients ≤ 18 yrs * Patients receiving RTX for a disease other than RA * Patients who fail to meet criteria for REM or LDA at either one of the two successive timepoints (i.e. having a disease activity \>10 as measured by the clinical disease activity index, (CDAI))