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ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
27825791 Recommendations by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology for the management of patients diag 2017 May To establish a set of recommendations for the management of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who cannot be treated with methotrexate (MTX) due to contraindications, drug toxicity or lack of adherence, and to establish therapeutic strategies more effective and safer in these RA patients. A qualitative analysis of the scientific evidence available to June 2015. The 2-round Delphi technique of consensus was used to collect and establish expert opinion based on the participants' clinical experience when only low quality evidence was available. A total of eighteen recommendations were developed for the management of this patient profile. Fourteen of these recommendations were related to drug safety aspects. Recommendations on contraindication and toxicity of MTX have been updated. The experts recommend the use of biological monotherapy, a preferred treatment option, in patients whose profiles reveal a contraindication, intolerance or circumstances that prevent us against the use of MTX. There is some high-quality scientific evidence that supports contraindication and establishes certain conditions of MTX use in RA patients with specific clinical profiles.
27707730 Discordance between tender and swollen joint count as well as patient's and evaluator's gl 2017 Apr OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of discordance between (1) tender and swollen joint count and (2) patient's and evaluator's global assessment on remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: From the prospective, multicentre Norwegian-Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug study, we included patients with RA and PsA starting first-time tumour necrosis factor inhibitors and DMARD-naïve patients starting methotrexate between 2000 and 2012. The predictive value of ΔTSJ (tender minus swollen joint counts) and ΔPEG (patient's minus evaluator's global assessment) on remission was explored in prespecified logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, disease duration and smoking. RESULTS: A total of 2735 patients with RA and 1236 patients with PsA were included (mean (SD) age 55.0 (13.5)/48.3 (12.4) years, median(range) disease duration 0.7 (0.0-58.0)/1.3 (0.0-48.3) years, 69.7/48.4% females). Baseline ΔTSJ/ΔPEG reduced the likelihood of achieving DAS28<2.6, SDAI≤3.3, CDAI≤2.8, ACR/EULAR Boolean and DAPSA<4 remission after 3 and 6 months in RA (OR 0.95-0.97, p<0.001/OR 0.96-0.99, p≤0.01) and PsA (OR 0.91-0.94, p≤0.004/OR 0.89-0.99, p≤0.002), except for ΔPEG and 6-month DAS28 remission in PsA. CONCLUSIONS: Discordance between patient's and physician's evaluation of disease activity reflected through ΔTSJ and partly ΔPEG may reduce likelihood of remission in RA and PsA. The findings are relevant for use of the treat-to-target strategy in individual patients.
26140464 Comparison of golimumab 100-mg monotherapy to golimumab 50 mg plus methotrexate in patient 2016 OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of golimumab (GLM) 50 mg + methotrexate (MTX) combination therapy and GLM 100 mg monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The subjects were 115 RA patients (92 females and 23 males; median (range) age, 64 (17-87) years; median (range) disease duration, 8 (0.6-48) years) started on GLM. Eighty-three patients received GLM 50 mg/4 weeks + MTX (C group; median (range) MTX dosage 8 (2-16) mg/week), and 32 patients received GLM 100 mg/4 weeks (M group). Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), matrix metalloproteinase-3, disease activity score (DAS) 28-ESR, DAS28-CRP, simplified disease activity index, and clinical disease activity index were evaluated 4, 12, and 24 weeks after starting GLM. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in disease activity, adverse events, and drug continuation rates at 24 weeks between the groups. The DAS28-ESR remission rate was 34% in the C group and 26% in the M group. CONCLUSIONS: GLM 100 mg monotherapy improved disease activity as well as GLM 50 mg + MTX combination therapy. GLM 100 mg monotherapy appears to have a sufficient therapeutic effect in RA patients who cannot take MTX.
27297801 Volume-normalized transfer constant as an imaging biomarker for chronic inflammatory arthr 2016 Sep PURPOSE: Proper diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are extremely important to optimize treatment outcomes. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) may be used as a biomarker to detect inflammatory changes in synovial joints and to discriminate active and inactive stages of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate vascular permeability changes associated with inflammatory arthritis progression and its treatment. METHODS: Arthritis was induced in DBA/1J mice by immunization with type-II collagen emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant. Severity of arthritis was monitored using the clinical arthritis index. MR images of mice were obtained at different stages of arthritis progression and at 3 weeks after methotrexate treatment. Immunohistochemical staining using an anti-CD31 antibody was used to assess vessel density. RESULTS: Volume-normalized transfer constant increased progressively until the active stage of arthritis was reached, and thereafter declined gradually. The pattern of volume-normalized transfer constant changes quantified using DCE-MRI correlated with vascular densities and immunohistochemical findings. Furthermore, volume-normalized transfer constant and densities decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner after treatment with methotrexate. CONCLUSION: Volume-normalized transfer constant assessed by DCE-MRI can be used as an imaging biomarker for tracking disease progression and for monitoring therapeutic efficacy in inflammatory arthritis. Magn Reson Med 76:926-934, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
24412895 A treat-to-target strategy with methotrexate and intra-articular triamcinolone with or wit 2015 May OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether a treat-to-target strategy with methotrexate and intra-articular glucocorticosteroid injections suppresses MRI inflammation and halts structural damage progression in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA), and whether adalimumab provides an additional effect. METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 85 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve patients with ERA were randomised to receive methotrexate, intra-articular glucocorticosteroid injections and placebo/adalimumab (43/42). Contrast-enhanced MRI of the right hand was performed at months 0, 6 and 12. Synovitis, osteitis, tenosynovitis, MRI bone erosion and joint space narrowing (JSN) were scored with validated methods. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) was carried out in 14 patients. RESULTS: Synovitis, osteitis and tenosynovitis scores decreased highly significantly (p<0.0001) during the 12-months' follow-up, with mean change scores of -3.7 (median -3.0), -2.2 (-1) and -5.3 (-4.0), respectively. No overall change in MRI bone erosion and JSN scores was seen, with change scores of 0.1 (0) and 0.2 (0). The tenosynovitis score at month 6 was significantly lower in the adalimumab group, 1.3 (0), than in the placebo group, 3.9 (2), Mann-Whitney: p<0.035. Furthermore, the osteitis score decreased significantly during the 12-months' follow-up in the adalimumab group, but not in the placebo group, Wilcoxon: p=0.001-0.002 and p=0.062-0.146. DCE-MRI parameters correlated closely with conventional MRI inflammatory parameters. Clinical measures decreased highly significantly during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A treat-to-target strategy with methotrexate and intra-articular glucocorticosteroid in patients with ERA effectively decreased synovitis, osteitis and tenosynovitis and halted structural damage progression as judged by MRI. The findings suggest that addition of adalimumab is associated with further suppression of osteitis and tenosynovitis.
26359449 Impact of baseline anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide-2 antibody concentration on efficacy 2016 Apr OBJECTIVES: To examine whether baseline anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide-2 (CCP2) antibody status and concentration correlated with clinical outcomes in patients treated with abatacept or adalimumab on background methotrexate (MTX) in the 2-year AMPLE (Abatacept versus adaliMumab comParison in bioLogic-naïvE rheumatoid arthritis subjects with background MTX) study. METHODS: In this exploratory analysis, anti-CCP2 antibody concentration was measured at baseline, and antibody-positive patients were divided into equal quartiles, Q1-Q4, representing increasing antibody concentrations. Clinical outcomes analysed by baseline anti-CCP2 status and quartile included change from baseline in disease activity and disability and remission rates. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were generally comparable across quartiles and treatment groups. In both treatment groups, anti-CCP2 antibody-negative patients responded less well than antibody-positive patients. At year 2, improvements in disease activity and disability and remission rates were similar across Q1-Q3, but were numerically higher in Q4 in the abatacept group; in contrast, treatment effects were similar across all quartiles in the adalimumab group. CONCLUSIONS: In AMPLE, baseline anti-CCP2 positivity was associated with a better response for abatacept and adalimumab. Patients with the highest baseline anti-CCP2 antibody concentrations had better clinical response with abatacept than patients with lower concentrations, an association that was not observed with adalimumab. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT00929864.
26235697 Early medication use in new-onset rheumatoid arthritis may delay joint replacement: result 2015 Aug 3 INTRODUCTION: Use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may prevent joint damage and potentially reduce joint replacement surgeries. We assessed the association between RA drug use and joint replacement in Quebec, Canada. METHODS: A cohort of new-onset RA patients was identified from Quebec's physician billing and hospitalization databases from 2002-2011. The outcome was defined using procedure codes submitted by orthopedic surgeons. Medication use was obtained from pharmacy databases. We used alternative Cox regression models with time-dependent variables measuring the cumulative effects of past use during different time windows (one model focussing on the first year after cohort entry) for methotrexate (MTX), and other DMARDs. Models were adjusted for baseline sociodemographics, co-morbidity and prior health service use, time-dependent cumulative use of other drugs (anti-tumor necrosis factor [anti-TNF] agents, other biologics, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors [COXIBs], nonselective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], and systemic steroids), and markers of disease severity. RESULTS: During follow-up, 608 joint replacements occurred among 11,333 patients (median follow-up: 4.6 years). The best-fitting model relied on the cumulative early use (within the first year after cohort entry) of MTX and of other DMARDs, with an interaction between MTX and other DMARDs. In this model, greater exposure within the first year, to either MTX (adjusted hazard ratio, HR = 0.95 per 1 month, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI 0.93-0.97) or other DMARDs (HR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99) was associated with longer time to joint replacement. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that longer exposure to either methotrexate (MTX) or other DMARDs within the first year after RA diagnosis is associated with longer time to joint replacement surgery.
27170517 Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy: present and future. 2016 Sep INTRODUCTION: For the management of rheumatoid arthritis patients who plan to become pregnant, both disease activity and therapeutic regimens have to be taken into consideration. In the case of stable inactive disease, pregnancy can be planned and therapy can be adjusted with drugs compatible with pregnancy. AREAS COVERED: Drugs to be discontinued before pregnancy are methotrexate, leflunomide, tocilizumab, rituximab, abatacept and tofacitinib. Pregnancy compatible disease modifying drugs are antimalarial drugs and sulfasalazine. TNF-inhibitors can be continued during the first half of pregnancy, yet if indicated during the third trimester TNF-inhibitors with a low rate of transplacental passage should be used. Glucocorticoids may be considered at the lowest effective dose throughout pregnancy. Non-selective COX-inhibitors can be continued until gestational week 32. Expert commentary: Together, a tailored treatment throughout pregnancy is possible with reasonable safety. Controlling disease activity during pregnancy is important for both, maternal and fetal health.
26152731 Recent progress and perspective in JAK inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis: from bench to 2015 Sep Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation and joint destruction. However, the combined use of synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) such as methotrexate and a biological DMARD targeting tumour necrosis factor (TNF) has revolutionized treatment of RA. Clinical remission is a realistic target to treat and the maintenance of remission has produced significant improvements in structural and function outcomes. However, biological DMARDs are limited to intravenous or subcutaneous uses and orally available small but strong products have been developed. The multiple cytokines and cell surface molecules bind to receptors, resulting in the activation of various signalling, including phosphorylation of kinase proteins. Among multiple kinases, Janus kinase (JAK) plays pivotal roles in the pathological processes of RA. Tofacitinib, a small product targeting JAK, inhibits phosphorylation of JAK1 and JAK3, subsequent Stat1 and expression of Stat1-inducible genes, which contribute to efficient propagation of its anti-inflammatory effects for the treatment of RA. The primary targets of tofacitinib are dendritic cells, CD4(+) T cells such as Th1 and Th17 and activated B cells which leads to multi-cytokine targeting. Six global phase 3 studies revealed that oral administration of 5 or 10 mg tofacitinib was significantly effective than placebo with or without methotrexate in active RA patients with methotrexate-naïve, inadequately responsive to methotrexate or TNF-inhibitors. Therapeutic efficacy of tofacitinib was observed in a short term after administration and was as strong as adalimumab, a TNF-inhibitor. The most commonly observed adverse events were related to infection, hematologic, hepatic and renal disorders and association of tofacitinib with carcinogenicity and infections remains debated. Further investigation on post-marketing survey would help us understand the positioning of this drug.
27311188 [Tofacitinib for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis]. 2016 Jun The combined use of synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (sDMARDs) such as methotrexate and biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) has revolutionized treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Remission is now realistic targets, achieved by a large proportion of RA patients. However, bDMARDs are limited to intravenous or subcutaneous uses and orally available small but strong products have been developed. Oral administration of tofacitinib targeting the Janus kinase (JAK) is significantly effective than placebo in active RA patients with sDMARD-naïve, inadequately responsive to sDMARDs or TNF-inhibitors. The efficacy was rapid and as strong as adalimumab, a TNF-inhibitor. The common adverse events were related to infection, hematologic and hepatic disorders and association of tofacitinib with carcinogenicity and infections remains debated.
27734232 Efficacy of tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis stratified by background met 2017 Jan Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This post hoc analysis investigated the effect of methotrexate (MTX) dose on the efficacy of tofacitinib in patients with RA. ORAL Scan (NCT00847613) was a 2-year, randomized, Phase 3 trial evaluating tofacitinib in MTX-inadequate responder (IR) patients with RA. Patients received tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg twice daily (BID), or placebo, with low (≤12.5 mg/week), moderate (>12.5 to <17.5 mg/week), or high (≥17.5 mg/week) stable background MTX. Efficacy endpoints (at months 3 and 6) included American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20/50/70 response rates, and mean change from baseline in Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28)-4(erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]), Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and modified Total Sharp score. 797 patients were treated with tofacitinib 5 mg BID (N = 321), tofacitinib 10 mg BID (N = 316), or placebo (N = 160); 242, 333, and 222 patients received low, moderate, and high MTX doses, respectively. At months 3 and 6, ACR20/50/70 response rates were greater for both tofacitinib doses vs placebo across all MTX doses. At month 3, mean changes from baseline in CDAI and HAQ-DI were significantly greater for both tofacitinib doses vs placebo, irrespective of MTX category; improvements were maintained at month 6. Both tofacitinib doses demonstrated improvements in DAS28-4(ESR), and less structural progression vs placebo, across MTX doses at month 6. Tofacitinib plus MTX showed greater clinical and radiographic efficacy than placebo in MTX-IR patients with RA, regardless of MTX dose.
25834210 Predictors of longterm changes in body mass index in rheumatoid arthritis. 2015 Jun OBJECTIVE: Low body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for poor longterm outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with longterm changes in BMI. METHODS: Subjects with RA from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) Registry (n = 1474) were studied. Information on inflammatory markers, presence of erosions, and smoking status were extracted from the VARA database. BMI was extracted from VA electronic medical records within 14 days of each visit date. VA pharmacy records were queried to identify prescriptions for specific RA therapies within 1 month of the visit date. We used robust generalized estimating equations marginal regression models to calculate independent associations between clinical variables and BMI over time. Similar models determined predictors of change in weight and risk of weight loss over the subsequent study observation period. RESULTS: Increasing age, active smoking, and the presence of erosions at baseline were associated with lower BMI. Weight decreased over time among older adults. Factors associated with greater reductions in BMI over time and a greater risk of weight loss were higher inflammatory markers, smoking, older age, higher BMI, and less subsequent improvement in inflammation. Methotrexate use was associated with a lower risk of weight loss. The use of prednisone or anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies was not associated with change in BMI or the risk of weight loss independent of other factors. CONCLUSION: Greater age, greater inflammatory activity, and active smoking are associated with greater weight loss in RA over time.
24081439 Fish oil in recent onset rheumatoid arthritis: a randomised, double-blind controlled trial 2015 Jan BACKGROUND: The effects of fish oil (FO) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have not been examined in the context of contemporary treatment of early RA. This study examined the effects of high versus low dose FO in early RA employing a 'treat-to-target' protocol of combination disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). METHODS: Patients with RA <12 months' duration and who were DMARD-naïve were enrolled and randomised 2:1 to FO at a high dose or low dose (for masking). These groups, designated FO and control, were given 5.5 or 0.4 g/day, respectively, of the omega-3 fats, eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid. All patients received methotrexate (MTX), sulphasalazine and hydroxychloroquine, and DMARD doses were adjusted according to an algorithm taking disease activity and toxicity into account. DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate, modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ) and remission were assessed three monthly. The primary outcome measure was failure of triple DMARD therapy. RESULTS: In the FO group, failure of triple DMARD therapy was lower (HR=0.28 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.63; p=0.002) unadjusted and 0.24 (95% CI 0.10 to 0.54; p=0.0006) following adjustment for smoking history, shared epitope and baseline anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide. The rate of first American College of Rheumatology (ACR) remission was significantly greater in the FO compared with the control group (HRs=2.17 (95% CI 1.07 to 4.42; p=0.03) unadjusted and 2.09 (95% CI 1.02 to 4.30; p=0.04) adjusted). There were no differences between groups in MTX dose, DAS28 or mHAQ scores, or adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: FO was associated with benefits additional to those achieved by combination 'treat-to-target' DMARDs with similar MTX use. These included reduced triple DMARD failure and a higher rate of ACR remission.
26568428 Twenty-eight-week results from the REALISTIC phase IIIb randomized trial: efficacy, safety 2015 Nov 15 INTRODUCTION: This 28-week, phase IIIb study assessed safety and maintenance of response to certolizumab pegol (CZP) in a diverse population of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, stratified by prior anti-TNF exposure, concomitant methotrexate (MTX) use and disease duration. The ability to predict achievement of low disease activity (LDA) at week 28 from improvements in Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), swollen joint count (SJC) and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) up to week 12 was assessed. METHODS: The 28-week study population included all patients who completed the double-blind (DB) phase and entered the open-label (OL) phase, receiving 200 mg CZP every 2 weeks (Q2W) ≥16 weeks. In the 12-week DB period, patients with active RA and an inadequate response to ≥1 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) were randomized 4:1 to CZP (400 mg at weeks 0, 2 and 4 then 200 mg Q2W) or placebo (Q2W), stratified by prior anti-TNF use, concomitant use of MTX and disease duration (<2 years vs. ≥2 years). RESULTS: A total of 955 patients entered the OL phase. At week 28, similar clinical improvements were seen in those receiving CZP throughout (CZP → CZP; n = 771) and those receiving placebo during the DB phase and switching to CZP in the OL phase (placebo → CZP; n = 184) (ACR20 response rate = 59.7% vs. 53.3%; ACR50/ACR70 response rates were also similar). Effect of CZP treatment was similar regardless of prior anti-TNF use, disease duration and concomitant DMARDs, based on ACR20 response rates. The percentage of patients achieving DAS28(ESR) LDA at week 28 was calculated for DAS28(ESR), SJC or CDAI responders at earlier time points. Reductions from baseline (Δ) of DAS28(ESR) <1.2, ΔSJC <25% or ΔCDAI <10 by week 12 were associated with <9% chance of achieving LDA at week 28 regardless of prior anti-TNF exposure. Adverse event rates were similar for placebo → CZP and CZP → CZP patients, with no new safety signals identified. CONCLUSIONS: A diverse population of RA patients with varying disease duration showed rapid and sustained clinical improvements on CZP treatment, regardless of prior anti-TNF or concomitant DMARD use. Failure to achieve improvements in DAS28(ESR), SJC or CDAI within the first 12 weeks of CZP therapy was associated with a low chance of achieving LDA at week 28. No new safety signals were observed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00717236 , 15 July 2008.
26051464 2014 update of the Consensus Statement of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology on the use o 2015 Sep OBJECTIVE: To establish recommendations for the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to serve as a reference for all health professionals involved in the care of these patients, and focusing on the role of available synthetic and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). METHODS: Consensual recommendations were agreed on by a panel of 14 experts selected by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER). The available scientific evidence was collected by updating three systematic reviews (SR) used for the EULAR 2013 recommendations. A new SR was added to answer an additional question. The literature review of the scientific evidence was made by the SER reviewer's group. The level of evidence and the degree of recommendation was classified according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine system. A Delphi panel was used to evaluate the level of agreement between panellists (strength of recommendation). RESULTS: Thirteen recommendations for the management of adult RA were emitted. The therapeutic objective should be to treat patients in the early phases of the disease with the aim of achieving clinical remission, with methotrexate playing a central role in the therapeutic strategy of RA as the reference synthetic DMARD. Indications for biologic DMARDs were updated and the concept of the optimization of biologicals was introduced. CONCLUSIONS: We present the fifth update of the SER recommendations for the management of RA with synthetic and biologic DMARDs.
26071279 Multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) 3435C>T gene polymorphism influences the clinical phenotype 2015 Aug PURPOSE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease primarily targeting the synovial joints causing joint damage and significant functional impairment. Methotrexate (MTX) remains the mainstay for the treatment of RA, and approximately 10-30% of the patients fail to attain remission because of inefficacy of the drug or due to development of adverse events. Multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene encodes for permeable glycoprotein (P-gp) which is an integral membrane protein for the transport of chemotherapeutic agents, immunosuppressive drugs etc. MDR1 3435C>T results in a wobble mutation in exon 26 but is associated with altered P-gp expression and reduced P-gp function. The present study was carried out to find the role of MDR1 3435C>T gene polymorphism with clinical phenotype, treatment response, and MTX adverse events in 336 RA and 329 healthy controls of South Indian Tamil ethnicity. METHODS: MDR1 3435C>T gene polymorphism was analyzed by TaqMan 5' nuclease assay. RESULTS: We found MDR1 3435T allele as a risk allele for contributing to high EULAR disease activity [p = 0.02, OR 1.50, 95% CI (1.06-2.13)]. Also, MDR1 3435CT genotype was associated with deforming disease [p = 0.02, OR 1.79, 95% CI (1.11-2.88)]. However, this SNP did not influence the MTX treatment response in these patients. MDR1 3435CT genotype was associated with MTX-induced adverse events [p = 0.01, OR 2.01, 95% CI (1.15-3.52)], and the 3435 TT genotype remained protective for the development of adverse events [p = 0.009, OR 0.40, 95% CI (0.21-0.78)]. Also, the heterozygous 3435 CT genotype was associated with gastrointestinal events [p = 0.02, OR 3.62, 95% CI (1.25-10.47)], and CT genotype remained protective in patients developing infection [p = 0.002, OR 0.05, 95% CI (0.006-0.460)]. CONCLUSION: MDR1 3435C>T gene polymorphism influences the clinical phenotype and adverse events to MTX in the South Indian cohort of patients with RA.
26955672 [Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis by Hebi Recipe: an Efficacy Observation]. 2016 Jan OBJECTIVE: To observe the auxiliary efficacy and safety of Hebi Recipe (HR)in treating early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Totally 63 early RA patients with Gan-Pi disharmony were randomly assigned to the treatment group [32 cases, treated by HR (one dose per day, taken in two portions for 24 successive weeks) plus Methotrexate (MTX)] and the control group (31 cases, treated by MTX alone). The dosage of MTX was increased from 7.5 mg to 12.5 mg, once per week, 24 weeks as one course of treatment. Efficacy for Chinese medical syndromes, American College of Rheumatology 20 (ACR20) improvement rate, disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28), laboratory related indices [ESR, rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP)], and related ultrasonic inspection items (synovium thickness, synovium blood flow classification, effusion of joint), and adverse reactions were observed. RESULTS: The total effective rate (83.9%, 26/31 cases) and ACR20 improvement rate (74.2%, 23/31 cases) were higher in the treatment group than in the control group [60.7% (17/28 cases), 46.4% (13/28 cases); P < 0.05]. Compared with before treatment in the same group, DAS28 score, ESR, RF, CRP, CCP, synovium thickness, synovium blood flow classification, effusion of joint all decreased in the two groups after treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group after treatment, ACR20 improvement rate, DAS28 score, ESR, RF, CRP, CCP, synovium thickness, synovium blood flow classification, effusion of joint all decreased in the treatment group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Liver dysfunction occurred in 1 case of the treatment group. One leucopenia and 2 liver dysfunction occurred in the control group. CONCLUSION: HR could effectively improve joints and systemic symptoms of early RA patients with Gan-Pi disharmony.
27389975 A Phase IIb Study of ABT-494, a Selective JAK-1 Inhibitor, in Patients With Rheumatoid Art 2016 Dec OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of ABT-494, a novel selective JAK-1 inhibitor, with placebo in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and an inadequate response or intolerance to at least 1 anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agent. METHODS: In this 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study, 276 RA patients receiving a stable dose of methotrexate (MTX) who had previously received treatment with at least 1 anti-TNF agent were randomized equally to receive immediate-release ABT-494 at 3, 6, 12, or 18 mg twice daily or matching placebo twice daily. The primary end point was the proportion of patients meeting the American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement criteria (achieving an ACR20 response) at week 12. RESULTS: At week 12, significantly more patients receiving ABT-494 (53-71%) than those receiving placebo (34%) achieved an ACR20 response (by nonresponder imputation analysis) (P < 0.05), with a dose-response relationship among all ABT-494 doses (P < 0.001). ACR50 and ACR70 response rates were significantly higher in those receiving ABT-494 (36-42% and 22-26%, respectively) than in those receiving placebo (16% and 4%, respectively). Changes from baseline in the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the C-reactive protein level (DAS28-CRP) were significantly greater for all doses of ABT-494 than for placebo (P ≤ 0.01). Onset of action of ABT-494 was rapid, with significant differences from placebo at week 2 both in ACR20 response rate (for 12 and 18 mg) and in change in the DAS28-CRP (P < 0.001 for 6-18 mg). The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were headache, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, and urinary tract infection. Infection rates were higher at higher doses of ABT-494, but no infections were serious. No deaths were reported among those receiving ABT-494. CONCLUSION: In patients with an inadequate response or intolerance to anti-TNF agents, ABT-494 added to MTX showed rapid, dose-dependent improvements in RA signs and symptoms, with safety and tolerability similar to those of other drugs of this class. No new AEs were identified.
28004435 Biopsy-proven case of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated vasculitis of the central nervou 2017 Jun A 75-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with rapidly deteriorating consciousness disturbance. She had a 7-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which had been treated with methotrexate (MTX) and prednisolone. Brain T2-weighted MRI showed diffuse high-intensity lesions in the cerebral subcortical and deep white matter, bilateral basal ganglia and thalamus. A cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed elevated protein levels and positive Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA. Human immunodeficiency virus was negative. Brain biopsy showed perivascular lymphocytic infiltration in the parenchyma and meninx with EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER). Since this case did not fulfill the criteria for chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV), she was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated vasculitis of the central nervous system. High-dose methylprednisolone, acyclovir, ganciclovir and foscarnet were not effective. Although EBV is a causative agent of infectious mononucleosis (IM), lymphomas and nasopharyngeal carcinomas, vasculitic pathology of the central nervous system with EBV reactivation in the elderly is rare. Immunosuppressive drugs such as steroids and MTX are widely used to treat autoimmune disorders, but may exacerbate the reactivation of EBV. This is the first case of biopsy-proven EBV-positive/HIV-negative vasculitis during the treatment of RA with MTX and steroids. This case indicates that EBV-associated vasculitis needs to be considered as a differential diagnosis of CNS vasculitis.
27143107 Efficacy of add-on tacrolimus on methotrexate to maintain clinical remission after redisco 2017 Jan OBJECTIVES: To describe the efficacy of adding tacrolimus to maintain remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on methotrexate after discontinuation of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy. METHODS: Consecutive patients with RA, who resumed a TNFi to treat flares after initial TNFi-free remission and discontinued a TNFi again after achieving remission and adding tacrolimus were enrolled. The lengths of remission after discontinuation of TNFi without or with tacrolimus were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirteen TNFi-free periods in six patients, in which seven were without and six were with tacrolimus were analyzed. All were seropositive females with a median age of 46 years and symptom duration of 1.2 years at the onset of TNFi therapy. Two were treated with infliximab and four were with etanercept. The median dose of tacrolimus was 2 mg/day with trough level of 4.5 ng/ml. The length of time to flare after discontinuation of TNFi therapy with tacrolimus was significantly longer than those without tacrolimus (median 107 weeks [range 4-207] versus 13 weeks [2-36]). After adding tacrolimus, only one patient resumed TNFi therapy and three had no flare until final observation. CONCLUSIONS: Add-on tacrolimus was effective in maintaining TNFi-free remission in patients with RA who ever relapsed after TNFi-free remission.