To assess whether it is better to intensively treat all patients with early rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) using combinations of drugs or to reserve this approach for patients who do not have an appropriate response ( as determined by a Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ DAS28-ESR ] of 3.2 at week 24 ) to methotrexate ( MTX ) monotherapy , and to assess whether combination therapy with MTX plus etanercept is superior to the combination of MTX plus sulfasalazine plus hydroxychloroquine .
