SAT0141 Changes of Bone Density and Microarchitecture in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Early Disease: A One-Year Study with HR-PQCT: Table 1.

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. 715.2-715
Author(s):  
P.C. Wong ◽  
Y. Zhu ◽  
L. Qin ◽  
L.-S. Tam
2013 ◽  
Vol 72 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A875.3-A875
Author(s):  
T. Jankovic ◽  
J. Zvekic-Svorcan ◽  
M. Lazarevic ◽  
B. Erdeljan ◽  
S. Subin-Teodosijevic

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1192.1-1193
Author(s):  
A. Hamar ◽  
A. Pusztai ◽  
E. Végh ◽  
Á. Horváth ◽  
S. Szamosi ◽  
...  

Background:Oral JAK inhibitor, tofacitinib appeared as a new therapeutic option, beside biological therapies, which has already proven its safety and effectivity in RA, but we lack of knowledge how it affects density of bone structures and bone turnover markers.Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the effects of one-year tofacitinib therapy on bone metabolism in patients with RA.Methods:Altogether 30 RA patients with active disease were recruited and treated with tofacitinib in this 12-months follow-up study. Mean age of patients were 52.8±10.0 years, duration of rheumatoid arthritis were 7.7±5.0 years. Half of the patients haven’t received biological treatment prior tofacitinib therapy, other half of the patients switched to tofacitinib therapy after completing washout. 15 patients received 2x5mg and 15 patients received 2x10mg tofacitinib daily for 12 months. On both arms 2-2 patients have discontinued treatment and excluded from the study. Assessments were performed at baseline, month 6 and 12. Levels of CRP and IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) antibodies were measured by quantitaive nephelometry and levels of anti-CCP, sclerostin, osteocalcin (OC), P1NP were assesed by ELISA. Bone density was assesed by DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, Lunar) and pQCT imaging techniques. Levels of DKK-1, OPG, RANKL were measured by multiplex microbead immunoassay (BioLegend LEGENDplex). In addition, disease activity (DAS28), age and disease duration were also measured. Correlations were determined by Spearman’s analysis. Univariate and multiple regression analysis using the stepwise method was applied to investigate independent associations between DXA measurements (dependent variables) and laboratory parameters (independent variables).Results:Tofacitinib significantly reduced DAS28 (p<0.001) and HAQ values (p=0.001), also level of CRP (p<0.001) and We (p=0.014). With respect to bone biomarkers we have experienced significant increase in levels of OC (p=0.013), OPG (p=0.006), sclerostin (p=0.026) and vitamin-D (p=0.017) at month 6, also in levels of OPG and vitamin-D (p=0.004, p=0.003) at month 12. We have found decrease in levels of CTX at month 6 (p=0.009) and 12 (p=0.003). When we examined the groups separately, we’ve found significant increase in levels of P1NP (p=0.027, p=0.005), OPG (p=0.005, p=0.002) and vitamin-D (p=0.001, p=0.004) at month 6 and 12, also in OC at month 6 (p=0.027) in Group A (2x5mg). In Group B (2x10mg) we’ve experienced a significant decrease in levels of phosphate and CTX at month 6 and 12 (p=0.012, p=0.021, and p=0.005, p=0.007).Conclusion:One year tofacitinib treatment effectively stabilized bone density in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and led to the increase of bone turnover markers, which is beneficial for ossification in long term.Acknowledgments:This research was supported by an investigator-initiated research grant from Pfizer.Disclosure of Interests:Attila Hamar: None declared, Anita Pusztai: None declared, Edit Végh: None declared, Ágnes Horváth: None declared, Szilvia Szamosi: None declared, Zsófia Pethö: None declared, Sándor Szántó: None declared, Gabriella Szücs: None declared, Harjit Pal Bhattoa: None declared, Gábor Tajti: None declared, György Panyi: None declared, Katalin Hodosi: None declared, Zoltán Szekanecz Grant/research support from: Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: Sanofi, MSD, Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Novertis, Lilly, Gedeon Richter, Amgen


Rheumatology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad A Sherbini ◽  
James M Gwinnutt ◽  
Kimme L Hyrich ◽  
Suzanne M M Verstappen ◽  

Abstract Background/Aims  Methotrexate (MTX) is the most common treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The prevalence of adverse events (AEs) associated with MTX treatment for RA have been studied extensively, but there are limited data on the predictors of these AEs. This study aims to summarise the prevalence rates of MTX AEs, including gastrointestinal (GI), neurological, mucocutaneous, and elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) enzyme, and to identify baseline demographic and clinical predictors of these AEs. Methods  The Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Study (RAMS) is a UK multi-centre prospective cohort study of patients with RA starting MTX for the first time. Relevant demographic, medication, clinical and disease related data were collected at baseline. AEs were reported at six and twelve months follow-ups. The prevalence rates of AEs were calculated based on the proportions of patients who reported having had an AE within one year of follow-up. The associations between candidate baseline predictors and AEs were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Results  A total of 2,089 patients were included with a mean age of 58.4 (standard deviation: 13.5) years, 1390 (66.5%) were women. 1,814 and 1,579 patients completed the 6 and 12 months follow-up visits, respectively. The prevalence rates of the AEs within one year of follow-up were: GI = 777 (40.6%), mucocutaneous = 441 (23.1%), neurological = 487 (25.5%), elevated ALT (&gt; upper limit of normal [ULN]) = 286 (15.5%). Younger age and being a woman were associated with increased risk of GI AEs, (age: OR 0.97 per year increase in age, 95% CI 0.98, 1.00; male sex: OR 0.58 vs female, 95% CI 0.46, 0.74) (Table 1). Higher baseline Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score was an independent predictor of GI, mucocutaneous, and neurological AEs. Furthermore, having ALT &gt;1xULN at baseline or history of diabetes was associated with increased risk of subsequent ALT elevation during the study follow-up. Conclusion  In patients with RA starting MTX, GI AEs were the most commonly reported AEs during the first year of follow-up. The identified predictors of AEs may facilitate discussions between clinicians and patients prior to commencing MTX, and may lead to increased adherence and consequently improved effectiveness. Disclosure  A.A. Sherbini: None. J.M. Gwinnutt: Grants/research support; BMS. K.L. Hyrich: Member of speakers’ bureau; Abbvie. Grants/research support; Pfizer, UCB, BMS. S.M.M. Verstappen: Consultancies; Celltrion. Member of speakers’ bureau; Pfizer. Grants/research support; BMS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 645.1-645
Author(s):  
K. Katayama ◽  
K. Yujiro ◽  
T. Okubo ◽  
R. Fukai ◽  
T. Sato ◽  
...  

Background:Many studies have been reported to reduce/discontinue Biologics in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In contrast, study for tapering methotrexate (MTX) has been limited (1,2).Objectives:We prospectively examined whether bone destruction will progress at 48 weeks after tapering or discontinuing MTX (UMIN000028875).Methods:The subjects were RA patients who have maintained low disease activity or lower for 24 weeks or more in DAS28-CRP after MTX administration. Patients having PDUS Grade 2 or 3 per site by bilateral hand ultrasonography (26 area) were excluded in this study owing to risk for joint destruction. The joint destruction was evaluated by the joint X-ray evaluation by modified total Sharp scoring (mTSS) at 1 year after the start of tapering MTX. Evaluation of clinical disease activities, severe adverse events, the continuation rate during MTX tapering were also evaluated. According to tapering response, prognostic factor for good response for tapering, joint destruction was determined. Predictors for successful tapering MTX and progression of bone destruction were determined. Statistical analysis was performed by t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test using SAS .13.2 software.Results:The subjects were 79 (16 males, 63 females). Age average 60.9 years, disease duration 4 years 4 months, MTX dose 8.43 mg / w, DAS28-CRP 1.52, DMARDs (24.3%), ACPA 192.7 U / ml (70.5%), RF 55.6 IU / ml (65.4%).MTX was tapered from an average of 8.43 mg / w before study to 5.46 mg / w one year later. In the treatment evaluation, DAS28-CRP increased from 1.52 to 1.84. 89.7% of subjects did not progress joint damage. Other disease activities significantly increased (Table 1). The one-year continuation rate was 78.2%. Since tapering effects were varied widely, we divided patients into three groups; Flared group (N=14, initial MTX dose 8.71mg/w, final MTX dose 8.42mg/w), Low response group (N=31, final MTX reduction rate< 50%, initial MTX dose 8.93mg/w, final MTX dose 6.22mg/w), High response group (N=34, final MTX reduction rate≥ 50%, initial MTX dose 8.5mg/w, final MTX dose 3.15mg/w)(Table 2).Higher RF value at baseline and higher MTX dose at 3M, 6M were predictors of whether a subject was in Low response group or High Response group. Higher RF value and mTSS at baseline and higher MTX dose at 6M were predictors whether a subject was in Flared group or High response group. Lower age was predictor of whether a subject was in Flared group or Low responder group. Finally, mean ΔmTSS /y in Flared group (0.36) was not significantly higher than in low response group (0.07) and in high response group (0.01).Table 1Table 2.Predictors for successful tapering MTX and progression of bone destructionConclusion:Patients with MTX-administered low disease activity and finger joint echo PDUS grade 1 satisfy almost no joint destruction even after MTX reduction. For tapering, predictors may be helpful for maintaining patient’s satisfaction.References:[1]Baker KF, Skelton AJ, Lendrem DW et al. Predicting drug-free remission in rheumatoid arthritis: A prospective interventional cohort study. J. Autoimmunity. 2019;105: 102298.[2]Lillegraven S, Sundlisater N, Aga A et al. Tapering of Conventional Synthetic Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Sustained Remission: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial. American College of Rheumatology. 2019; Abstract L08.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1463.2-1464
Author(s):  
S. Bayat ◽  
K. Tascilar ◽  
V. Kaufmann ◽  
A. Kleyer ◽  
D. Simon ◽  
...  

Background:Recent developments of targeted treatments such as targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) increase the chances of a sustained low disease activity (LDA) or remission state for patients suffering rheumatoid arthritis (RA). tsDMARDs such as baricitinib, an oral inhibitor of the Janus Kinases (JAK1/JAK2) was recently approved for the treatment of RA with an inadequate response to conventional (cDMARD) and biological (bDMARD) therapy. (1, 2).Objectives:Aim of this study is to analyze the effect of baricitinb on disease activity (DAS28, LDA) in patients with RA in real life, to analyze drug persistance and associate these effects with various baseline characteristics.Methods:All RA patients were seen in our outpatient clinic. If a patient was switched to a baricitinib due to medical reasons, these patients were included in our prospective, observational study which started in April 2017. Clinical scores (SJC/TJC 76/78), composite scores (DAS28), PROs (HAQ-DI; RAID; FACIT), safety parameters (not reported in this abstract) as well as laboratory biomarkers were collected at each visit every three months. Linear mixed effects models for repeated measurements were used to analyze the time course of disease activity, patient reported outcomes and laboratory results. We estimated the probabilities of continued baricitinib treatment and the probabilities of LDA and remission by DAS-28 as well as Boolean remission up to one year using survival analysis and explored their association with disease characteristics using multivariable Cox regression. All patients gave informed consent. The study is approved by the local ethics.Results:95 patients were included and 85 analyzed with available follow-up data until November 2019. Demographics are shown in table 1. Mean follow-up duration after starting baricitinib was 49.3 (28.9) weeks. 51 patients (60%) were on monotherapy. Baricitinib survival (95%CI) was 82% (73% to 91%) at one year. Cumulative number (%probability, 95%CI) of patients that attained DAS-28 LDA at least once up to one year was 67 (92%, 80% to 97%) and the number of patients attaining DAS-28 and Boolean remission were 31 (50%, 34% to 61%) and 12(20%, 9% to 30%) respectively. Median time to DAS-28 LDA was 16 weeks (Figure 1). Cox regression analyses did not show any sufficiently precise association of remission or LDA with age, gender, seropositivity, disease duration, concomitant DMARD use and number of previous bDMARDs. Increasing number of previous bDMARDs was associated with poor baricitinib survival (HR=1.5, 95%CI 1.1 to 2.2) while this association was not robust to adjustment for baseline disease activity. Favorable changes were observed in tender and swollen joint counts, pain-VAS, patient and physician disease assessment scores, RAID, FACIT and the acute phase response.Conclusion:In this prospective observational study, we observed high rates of LDA and DAS-28 remission and significant improvements in disease activity and patient reported outcome measurements over time.References:[1]Keystone EC, Taylor PC, Drescher E, Schlichting DE, Beattie SD, Berclaz PY, et al. Safety and efficacy of baricitinib at 24 weeks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to methotrexate. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2015 Feb;74(2):333-40.[2]Genovese MC, Kremer J, Zamani O, Ludivico C, Krogulec M, Xie L, et al. Baricitinib in Patients with Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis. The New England journal of medicine. 2016 Mar 31;374(13):1243-52.Figure 1.Cumulative probability of low disease activity or remission under treatment with baricitinib.Disclosure of Interests:Sara Bayat Speakers bureau: Novartis, Koray Tascilar: None declared, Veronica Kaufmann: None declared, Arnd Kleyer Consultant of: Lilly, Gilead, Novartis,Abbvie, Speakers bureau: Novartis, Lilly, David Simon Grant/research support from: Else Kröner-Memorial Scholarship, Novartis, Consultant of: Novartis, Lilly, Johannes Knitza Grant/research support from: Research Grant: Novartis, Fabian Hartmann: None declared, Susanne Adam: None declared, Axel Hueber Grant/research support from: Novartis, Lilly, Pfizer, EIT Health, EU-IMI, DFG, Universität Erlangen (EFI), Consultant of: Abbvie, BMS, Celgene, Gilead, GSK, Lilly, Novartis, Speakers bureau: GSK, Lilly, Novartis, Georg Schett Speakers bureau: AbbVie, BMS, Celgene, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Roche and UCB


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 825.2-826
Author(s):  
M. Jansen ◽  
A. Ooms ◽  
T. D. Turmezei ◽  
J. W. Mackay ◽  
S. Mastbergen ◽  
...  

Background:In addition to cartilage degeneration, knee osteoarthritis (OA) causes bone changes, including cortical bone thickening, subchondral bone density decrease, and bone shape changes as a result of widening and flattening condyles and osteophyte formation. Knee joint distraction (KJD) is a joint-preserving treatment for younger (<65 years) knee OA patients that has been shown to reverse OA cartilage degradation. On radiographs, KJD showed a decrease in subchondral bone density and an increase in osteophyte formation. However, these bone changes have never been evaluated with a 3D imaging technique.Objectives:To evaluate cortical bone thickness, subchondral trabecular bone density, and bone shape on CT scans before and one year after KJD treatment.Methods:19 KJD patients were included in an extended imaging protocol, undergoing a CT scan before and one year after treatment. Stradview v6.0 was used for semi-automatic tibia and femur segmentation from axial thin-slice (0.45mm) CT scans. Cortical bone thickness (mm) and trabecular bone density (Hounsfield units, HU) were measured with an automated algorithm. Osteophytes were excluded. Afterwards, wxRegSurf v18 was used for surface registration. Registration data was used for bone shape measurements. MATLAB R2020a and the SurfStat MATLAB package were used for data analysis and visualization. Two-tailed F-tests were used to calculate changes over time. Two separate linear regression models were used to show the influence of baseline Kellgren-Lawrence grade and sex on the changes over time. Statistical significance was calculated with statistical parametric mapping; a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Bone shape changes were explored visually using vertex by vertex displacements between baseline and follow-up. Patients were separated into two groups based on whether their most affected compartment (MAC) was medial or lateral. Only patients with axial CT scans at both time points available for analysis were included for evaluation.Results:3 Patients did not have complete CTs and in 1 patient the imaged femur was too short, leaving 16 patients for tibial analyses and 15 patients for femoral analyses. The MAC was predominantly the medial side (medial MAC n=14; lateral n=2). Before treatment, the MAC cortical bone was compared to the rest of the joint (Figure 1). One year after treatment, MAC cortical thickness decreased, although this decrease of up to approximately 0.25 mm was not statistically significant. The trabecular bone density was also higher before treatment in the MAC, and a decrease was seen throughout the entire joint, although statistically significant only for small areas on mostly the MAC where this decrease was up to approximately 80 HU (Figure 1). Female patients and patients with a higher Kellgren-Lawrence grade showed a somewhat larger decrease in cortical bone thickness. Trabecular density decreased less for patients with a higher Kellgren-Lawrence grade, and female patients showed a higher density decrease interiorly while male patients showed a higher decrease exteriorly. None of this was statistically significant. The central areas of both compartments showed an outward shape change, while the outer ring showed inward changes.Conclusion:MAC cortical bone thickness shows a partial decrease after KJD. Trabecular bone density decreased on both sides of the joint, likely as a direct result of the bicompartmental unloading. For both subchondral bone parameters, MAC values became more similar to the LAC, indicating (partial) subchondral bone normalization in the most affected parts of the joint. The bone shape changes may indicate a reversal of typical OA changes, although the inward difference that was seen on the outer edges may be a result of osteophyte-related changes that might have affected the bone segmentation. In conclusion, KJD treatment shows subchondral bone normalization in the first year after treatment, and longer follow-up might show whether these changes are a temporary result of joint unloading or indicate more prolonged bone changes.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 23.2-24
Author(s):  
V. Molander ◽  
H. Bower ◽  
J. Askling

Background:Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) (1). Several established risk factors of VTE, such as age, immobilization and comorbid conditions, occur more often patients with RA (2). In addition, inflammation may in itself also increase VTE risk by upregulating procoagolatory factors and causing endothelial damage (3). Recent reports indicate an increased risk of VTE in RA patients treated with JAK-inhibitors (4), pointing to the need to better understand how inflammation measured as clinical RA disease activity influences VTE risk.Objectives:To investigate the relationship between clinical RA disease activity and incidence of VTE.Methods:Patients with RA were identified from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register (SRQ) between July 1st2006 and December 31st2017. Clinical rheumatology data for these patients were obtained from the visits recorded in SRQ, and linked to national registers capturing data on VTE events and comorbid conditions. For each such rheumatologist visit, we defined a one-year period after the visit and determined whether a VTE event had occurred within this period or not. A visit followed by a VTE event was categorized as a case, all other visits were used as controls. Each patient could contribute to several visits. The DAS28 score registered at the visit was stratified into remission (0-2.5) vs. low (2.6-3.1), moderate (3.2-5.1) and high (>5.1) disease activity. Logistic regression with robust cluster standard errors was used to estimate the association between the DAS28 score and VTE.Results:We identified 46,311 patients with RA who contributed data from 320,094 visits. Among these, 2,257 visits (0.7% of all visits) in 1345 unique individuals were followed by a VTE within the one-year window. Of these, 1391 were DVT events and 866 were PE events. Figure 1 displays the absolute probabilities of a VTE in this one-year window, and odds ratios for VTE by each DAS28 category, using DAS28 remission as reference. The one-year risk of a VTE increased from 0.5% in patients in DAS28 remission, to 1.1% in patients with DAS28 high disease activity (DAS28 above 5.1). The age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio for a VTE event in highly active RA compared to RA in remission was 2.12 (95% CI 1.80-2.47). A different analysis, in which each patient could only contribute to one visit, yielded similar results.Figure 1.Odds ratios (OR) comparing the odds of VTE for DAS28 activity categories versus remission. Grey estimates are from unadjusted logistic regression models, black estimates are from logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex. Absolute one-year risk of VTE are estimated from unadjusted models.Conclusion:This study demonstrates a strong association between clinical RA inflammatory activity as measured through DAS28 and risk of VTE. Among patients with high disease activity one in a hundred will develop a VTE within the coming year. These findings highlight the need for proper VTE risk assessment in patients with active RA, and confirm that patients with highly active RA, such as those recruited to trials for treatment with new drugs, are already at particularly elevated risk of VTE.References:[1]Holmqvist et al. Risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and association with disease duration and hospitalization. JAMA. 2012;308(13):1350-6.[2]Cushman M. Epidemiology and risk factors for venous thrombosis. Semin Hematol. 2007;44(2):62-9.[3]Xu J et al. Inflammation, innate immunity and blood coagulation. Hamostaseologie. 2010;30(1):5-6, 8-9.[4]FDA. Safety trial finds risk of blood clots in the lungs and death with higher dose of tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR) in rheumatoid arthritis patients; FDA to investigate. 2019.Acknowledgments:Many thanks to all patients and rheumatologists persistently filling out the SRQ.Disclosure of Interests:Viktor Molander: None declared, Hannah Bower: None declared, Johan Askling Grant/research support from: JA acts or has acted as PI for agreements between Karolinska Institutet and the following entities, mainly in the context of the ARTIS national safety monitoring programme of immunomodulators in rheumatology: Abbvie, BMS, Eli Lilly, Merck, MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Samsung Bioepis, Sanofi, and UCB Pharma


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 931-938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattias Skielta ◽  
Lars Söderström ◽  
Solbritt Rantapää-Dahlqvist ◽  
Solveig W Jonsson ◽  
Thomas Mooe

Aims: Rheumatoid arthritis may influence the outcome after an acute myocardial infarction. We aimed to compare trends in one-year mortality, co-morbidities and treatments after a first acute myocardial infarction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis versus non-rheumatoid arthritis patients during 1998–2013. Furthermore, we wanted to identify characteristics associated with mortality. Methods and results: Data for 245,377 patients with a first acute myocardial infarction were drawn from the Swedish Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive Care Admissions for 1998–2013. In total, 4268 patients were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to study mortality trends over time and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to identify variables associated with mortality. The one-year mortality in rheumatoid arthritis patients was initially lower compared to non-rheumatoid arthritis patients (14.7% versus 19.7%) but thereafter increased above that in non-rheumatoid arthritis patients (17.1% versus 13.5%). In rheumatoid arthritis patients the mean age at admission and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation increased over time. Congestive heart failure decreased more in non-rheumatoid arthritis than in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, kidney failure, rheumatoid arthritis, prior diabetes mellitus and hypertension were associated with significantly higher one-year mortality during the study period 1998–2013. Conclusions: The decrease in one-year mortality after acute myocardial infarction in non-rheumatoid arthritis patients was not applicable to rheumatoid arthritis patients. This could partly be explained by an increased age at acute myocardial infarction onset and unfavourable trends with increased atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis per se was associated with a significantly worse prognosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1080-1080
Author(s):  
N. Ziade ◽  
S. Al Emadi ◽  
M. Abu Jbara ◽  
S. Saad ◽  
L. Kibbi ◽  
...  

Background:Involving the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the assessment of their disease may increase their adherence to treatment, improve the disease outcomes and facilitate the application of telehealth. We previously reported an excellent concordance between the Disease Activity Score (DAS-28) performed by physicians and patients at the baseline visit of this prospective study (1).Objectives:To evaluate the persistence of the concordance between the physician’ and the patient’s assessment of disease activity in RA using DAS-28 after one year.Methods:At the baseline visit, patients with RA from 7 Middle Eastern Arab Countries (MEAC) were briefed about DAS-28 by their rheumatologist during a routine consultation and given smartphone access to a video in Arabic language explaining the performance of DAS-28. At 3, 6 and 12 months (± 3 months), the patients were asked to self-report DAS-28, blinded to the physician’s assessment. Concordance between the continuous DAS-28 at each visit was calculated using paired t-test numerically and the Bland-Altman method graphically. Agreement between physician- and patient-DAS categories (remission, low-, moderate- and high disease activity) was calculated at each visit using weighted kappa for category comparison. Weighted kappa of the different agreements were compared over time using their respective confidence intervals (CIs). Predictive factors of positive concordance between physician and patient-DAS were identified using binary logistic regression.Results:The study included 428 patients over a period of three years (2018 to 2020). The mean age of participants was 49.8 years, 82.5% were females, 44.3% had a university degree and the mean disease duration was 11.4 years.At baseline, the average patient-DAS was higher (4.06 (±1.52)) than the physician-DAS (3.97 (±1.52)). The mean difference was -0.09 [95%CI -0.14; -0.04] and most of the pairs were within the limit of agreement in the Bland-Altman graph, indicating a good concordance, particularly in cases of remission.During the study follow-up, 299 patients consulted for visit 2 (69.9% of the total population), 232 for visit 3 (54.2%) and 199 for visit 4 (46.5%). The weighted kappa was 0.80 [95%CI 0.76;0.85] at visit 1 and 0.79 [95%CI 0.72;0.88] at visit 4 (Figure 1 showing kappa for DAS-28, CDAI and SDAI as well). A minor numerical decrease in kappa was observed over time; however, the CIs were overlapping over the four visits and the agreement was considered stable, remaining in the excellent range. At visit 4, a positive concordance between the physician- and the patient-DAS was associated with the profession (lower in blue collar, p=0.001), the educational level (higher in high school and university, p=0.034) and the baseline physician’s DAS (higher in high disease activity, p=0.46).Conclusion:The agreement between the DAS-28 performed by the physician and by the patient was excellent at baseline and remained stable over one year. A positive concordance was associated with the profession, the educational level and the level of disease activity. The present study can help the rheumatologist make informed decisions about the patients who may be suitable for a remote evaluation of their disease activity, that can be of particular interest in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.References:[1]Ziade N, Saad S, al Mashaleh M, et al. Perceptions of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis about Self-Assessment of Disease Activity after Watching an Educational Video: Qualitative Pilot Results from the Auto-DAS in Middle Eastern Arab Countries Study [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2018; 70 (suppl 10).Acknowledgements:The authors would like to acknowledge the patients for participating in the study and the assistants/ students/ nurses who assisted in the data collection: Dr. Fatima Abdul Majeed Al Hawaj, M. Atef Ahmed, M. Mohammad Alhusamiah, Ms Raquel De Guzman, Ms Lina Razzouk.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


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