Search

Aim: To assess the golimumab retention rate during up to 8 years of follow up, and any associated factors. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the BIOBADASER (Spanish registry of biological drugs) database, assessing all adults who had ever started golimumab >6 months before the analysis for an approved indication (rheumatoid arthritis [RA], axial spondyloarthritis [SpA] or psoriatic arthritis [PsA]). Results: Among 885 patients (RA 267, axial SpA 370, PsA 248) receiving 944 cycles of golimumab, the retention rate of golimumab was 71.1% (95% confidence interval: 68.0–73.9) at year 1% and 37.7% (95% CI: 33.3–42.1) at year 7 and at year 8. Retention was higher when golimumab was used as the first biological drug (81.7% at year 1, 49.9% at year 7, p < 0.001). In Cox regression analysis, factors associated with golimumab retention included use as first‐line therapy (hazard ratio [HR] for discontinuation 1.52 for second‐ and 1.79 for third/later‐line vs. first‐line), use in axial SpA or PsA rather than RA (HR for axial SpA vs. RA 0.59, for PsA vs. Rheumatoid arthritis 0.67), and treatment with concomitant methotrexate (HR 0.67). Factors associated with golimumab discontinuation were corticosteroid use (HR 1.46) and disease activity above median (HR 1.29) at golimumab initiation. Conclusion: Based on this retrospective analysis of the BIOBADASER registry, nearly two‐fifths (37.7%) of adult rheumatology patients initiating golimumab will remain on treatment for 8 years, with a higher probability of retention in axial SpA or PsA indications and when golimumab is used as first biologic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The persistence of biologic (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs(DMARDs) in monotherapy versus in combination with conventional synthetic (cs) DMARDs is still a controversial topic in rheumatic diseases. To clarify this issue, the retention of the initial treatment strategy of b/tsDMARD in combination with csDMARD versus monotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients under real‐life conditions was evaluated. Factors associated with maintenance of the initial strategy were analysed. Methods: Nested cohort study within the Spanish BIOBADASER III registry. Bivariate comparisons and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used for the analyses. Results: A total of 2521 patients were included in the study. In the multivariate model, the initial strategy of combination therapy was associated with shorter persistence in patients with RA (hazard ratio [HR] 1.58;95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00–2.50; p =.049), PsA (HR 2.48; 95% CI 1.65–3.72) and AS (HR 16.77; 95% CI 7.37–38.16; p <.001), regardless of sex, time of disease progression, baseline disease activity, glucocorticoid use or type of b/tsDMARD. Overall, the combination strategy was associated with an increased incidence of adverse events (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.13; 95% CI 1.05–1.21). Conclusions: In this real‐life study, the strategy of combining a b/tsDMARD with a csDMARD is associated with lower persistence and worse safety profile compared to monotherapy in RA and especially in PsA and AS, suggesting that combination therapy should be rethought as first choice in RA patients, but especially in PsA and AS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tocilizumab (TCZ) treatment is associated with dyslipidaemia, including a rise in triglycerides through a mechanism poorly understood. Three molecules play key roles in the regulation of triglyceride metabolism: apolipoprotein C‐III (ApoC‐III), angiopoietin‐like protein 4(ANGPLT4) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). The aim of this work was to analyse whether the changes in triglycerides shown by TCZ‐treated RA patients could stem from the dysregulation that can occur in these regulatory molecules. Methods: Twenty‐seven RA patients included in the TOCRIVAR study who received TCZ (8 mg/kg IV/q4w) were evaluated at baseline and at Weeks 12, 24 and 52 of treatment. ANGPTL4, ApoC‐III and LPL, a complete lipid profile and RA disease activity, were analysed at baseline and at each visit. Multivariable linear mixed models were performed to study changes over time in lipids and regulatory molecules. Results: After 24 weeks of TCZ treatment, HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1 and triglycerides increased, whereas lipoprotein (a) decreased significantly from baseline values. However, 1 year after TCZ, no significant differences in lipid pattern were observed with respect to baseline. Serum ANGPTL4 and Apo‐CIII levels decreased gradually over time, both being significantly lower than baseline values at Week 52. LPL concentration did not change significantly during TCZ treatment. Remarkably, the elevation of triglycerides at Week 24 maintained its statistical significance after adjusting for the changes in ApoC‐III, ANGPTL4 and LPL. Conclusion: In TCZ‐treated RA patients basal serum levels of ANGPLT4 and ApoC‐III, but not LPL, decreased significantly. However, the elevation of triglycerides after TCZ was not related to changes in these regulatory molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]