scholarly journals AB0277 PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS MARKERS IN PATIENTS TREATED WITH BIOLOGICAL DISEASE-MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS: RESULTS OF THE TUNISIAN REGISTRY BINAR

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1437.1-1438
Author(s):  
A. Fazaa ◽  
H. Boussaa ◽  
S. Miladi ◽  
K. Ouenniche ◽  
L. Souabni ◽  
...  

Background:In the recent decades, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) have significantly improved management and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA).However, bDMARDs have also a strong influence on the immune system, leading to a risk of serious infection. Reactivation of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus is one of the most redoubtable complications of these immunosuppressive agents.Objectives:The aims of this study were to determine the screening rate for hepatitis B and C before starting a biological treatment and to examine the prevalence of their markers in patients with RA or SpA.Methods:Our study evaluated all patients included in the Tunisian registry BINAR (Biologic National Registry) since 2018 who had RA (ACR/EULAR 2010) or SpA (ASAS criteria) aged with more than eighteen years old and receiving their first bDMARDs during the two past years.The following information were retrieved from the registry: demographic data on the patients, disease parameters, medication, HBV surface antigen (HBs Ag), antibody to HBs Ag (Anti HBs), antibody to HBV core antigen (Anti HBc), HBV-DNA, antibody to HCV (anti HCV) status and liver function tests (AST: aspartate aminotransferase; ALT:alanine aminotransferase).Results:A total of 298 patients was included, 111 men and 178 women, with a mean age of 49.2 ± 14.1 years old [18-79]. Among them, 58.7% were diagnosed with RA and 41.3% were diagnosed with SpA. The mean disease duration was 6.7±3.5 years [1-12] in patients with RA and 6.5±3 [1-12] in patients with SpA. The mean Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) were respectively of 4.9±1.5 [1-8] and 4.1±1.8 [0-9].Therapeutically, 167 patients (56%) were on Prednisone at a mean daily posology of 8.2±5.4 mg [4-60] and 70.3% on conventional synthetic disease modifying antirheumatic drug (csDMARD) in association with bDMARDs. It was about Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha antibodies (anti TNF a) in 87.9% of cases, Tocilizumab in 10.4% of cases and Rituximab in 5% of cases.A screening of HBV was performed in 286 patients (96%). Ag HBs was positive in two cases (0.7%), and anti-HBc was positive in 16 cases (6.4%) which indicate a prior HBV infection. Fifteen patients (6%) were immunized with positive anti HBs. HBV-DNA was measured in 177 cases (66.8%) and was positive in 15 patients (6%).HCV infection was searched in 282 patients (94.6%) and anti-HCV was negative in all cases.AST and ALT mean rates were respectively of 18.3 [2-108] and 17.9 UI/l [2-74]. A perturbation of these liver function tests was observed in 13 patients (4.4%).Conclusion:Screening for hepatitis B and C were performed respectively in 96% and 94% of our Tunisian patients before receiving any bDMARDs. This should be systematic to avoid HBV reactivation which can lead to fulminant hepatic failure with a severe prognosis.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1441.2-1442
Author(s):  
B. M. Fernandes ◽  
S. Garcia ◽  
F. Oliveira Pinheiro ◽  
M. Rato ◽  
D. Fonseca ◽  
...  

Background:Vitamin D is thought to have an important role in immune regulation and is being subject of research in several autoimmune diseases. Some data suggest that vitamin D deficiency is common in Spondyloarthritis (SpA) and may be associated with disease activity and structural damage.Objectives:To evaluate if there is a relation between baseline vitamin D status and the response to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in a SpA monocentric cohort.Methods:Retrospective study including all the SpA patients (ASAS classification criteria) followed at our Rheumatology Department, registered in the national database and treated with bDMARD between June 2008 and July 2020. Demographic, clinical and laboratorial data (including 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-OHvitD]) at baseline and disease activity measures at 6 and 12 months of treatment with the first bDMARD were collected. Correlations between variables were evaluated by Spearman rank test, Mann-Whitney U test was used to the comparison analysis between groups and univariate logistic regression was used in the prediction analysis.Results:A total of 195 SpA patients were included: 103 (52.8%) females, 47 (24.1%) smokers and 91 (46.7%) HLA-B27 positive; 139 (71.3%) had Ankylosing Spondylitis, 18 (9.2%) had Inflammatory Bowel Disease Associated SpA and 38 (19.5%) had Undifferentiated SpA. At the time of the first bDMARD, the mean age was 43.5 years (±9.6) and the median disease duration was 12.4 years (0.7-52.7). The mean ASDAS-CPR (Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein) was 3.9 (±0.8) and, in addition, 61 (31.3%) patients had 25-OHvitD levels below 30 ng/mL and 12 (6.2%) had 25-OHvitD levels below 20 ng/mL. Fifty-three patients (27.2%) were taking NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), 77 (39.5%) were under csDMARDs (conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs). Adalimumab (56%) and golimumab (33.3%) were the most frequently initiated bDMARDs in the first line.There were no statistically significant correlations between baseline 25-OHvitD levels and ASDAS-CRP at 6 (r=0.031; p=0.714) and 12 months (r=0.035; p=0.672) of bDMARD.In the subgroup analysis: there were no statistically significant differences in the response to bDMARD at 6 and 12 months evaluated by ASDAS response and ASAS 20, 40 and 70 responses according to the baseline 25-OHvitD levels (25-OHvitD <20ng/mL vs ≥20ng/mL; 25-OHvitD <30ng/mL vs ≥30ng/mL); and there were no statistically significant differences in the baseline 25-OHvitD levels at baseline according to the response to bDMARD at 6 and 12 months of bDMARD (ASDAS: no response vs clinically important improvement or major improvement; ASAS 20: no response vs response).In the line of these previous results, baseline 25-OHvitD levels did not predict the ASDAS response at 6 (OR 0.97 [0.95-1.00], 95% CI) or 12 (OR 0.98 [0.95-1.01], 95% CI) months of bDMARD.Conclusion:Despite some data that suggest that lower levels of 25-OHvitD may be associated with higher disease activity in SpA, our results failed to demonstrate that the baseline 25-OHvitD levels can be related or predict treatment response after 6 and/or 12 months of therapy with the first bDMARD in real-life SpA patients.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-31
Author(s):  
T. V. Korotaeva ◽  
E. Yu. Loginova ◽  
E. E. Gubar ◽  
Yu. L. Korsakova ◽  
M. V. Sedunova ◽  
...  

The goal of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) therapy is to achieve remission or minimal disease activity (MDA). According to the EULAR guidelines, synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (sDMARDs), methotrexate (MTX) in particular, are first-line therapy for PsA.Objective: to study the rate of MDA achievement after initiation of sDMARD therapy in patients with early- and late-stage PsA and the efficacy of oral and parenteral MTX.Patients and methods. The investigation enrolled 253 patients (93 men and 160 women) diagnosed with PsA who met the appropriate 2006 CASPAR (ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic ARthritis) criteria and were recorded in the All-Russian PsA Registry. The median (Me) age was 47 (Min 20 – Max 82) years. All the patients took sDMARDs: MTX (n=211) that was received orally (as tablets) (n=102) and parenterally (n=109); leflunomide (n=7); sulfasalazine (n=24); apremilast (n=10); and tofacitinib (n=1). According to the disease duration at sDMARD treatment initiation, the patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 included 165 patients with an early PsA duration of less than 2 years and Group 2 consisted of 88 patients with a disease duration of >2 years. The efficiency of oral and parenteral MTX was evaluated in 182 patients (68 men and 114 women). Every 6 months, the patients underwent a standard rheumatology examination that included PsA activity assessment. The efficiency of MTX therapy was evaluated from MDA achievement (5 out of the 7 criteria) in the patients.Results and discussion. After sDMARD prescription, MDA was achieved in 39 (24%) of the 165 patients with early PsA and in 4 (5%) of the 88 long-term patients. The patients who started sDMARD at an early stage of the disease were significantly more likely to achieve MDA than those with late-stage PsA (odds ratio (OR) 6.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2–18.9). At 11 years after sDMARD therapy initiation, the cumulative MDA achievement rate in the patients with late-stage disease was 5% (p<0.05). MDA was achieved by 16.5% of the 182 patients receiving oral or subcutaneous MTX. MDA was observed in 25 (31%) patients who received parenteral MTX and in only 5 (5%) patients who took oral MTX. The patients who received parenteral MTX were significantly more likely to achieve MDA than those who took oral MTX as tablets (OR 8.8; 95% CI 3.2–24.3). Following 27-month parenteral MTX therapy, the cumulative rate of MDA achievement was 48%, whereas after oral MTX treatment, that was 7% (p<0.05). In the patients who achieved MDA, the mean dose of parenteral MTX was 17 mg/week, and in those who failed, that was 15 mg/week. The mean dose of oral MTX was 15 mg/week, regardless of MDA achievement.Conclusion. The administration of sDMARD at an early stage of PsA lasting less than 2 years allows MDA to be achieved significantly more often and faster than at later stages of the disease. Among sDMARDs, preference is mostly given to the use of MTX in real clinical practice; the treatment with the latter enables 16.5% of patients to achieve MDA. Parenteral MTX significantly enhances the efficiency of therapy and can achieve MDA in almost one third (31%) of patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 13-18
Author(s):  
E. Yu. Polishchuk ◽  
E. S. Filatova ◽  
A. E. Karateev ◽  
V. N. Amirdzhanova ◽  
V. A. Nesterenko

Objective: to study the effect of neuropathic pain symptoms (SNP) on the clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients with moderate or high disease activity.Patients and methods. The 1st (main) group included 58 RA patients (84.5% of women, age 53.0±11.9 years), in whom SNP were identified using the DN4 (≥4) and PainDETECT (≥13) questionnaires. The 2nd (control) group included 43 patients with RA (79.1% women, age 48.8±14.4 years) who did not have SNP (DN4 ≤4 and PainDETECT ≤13). All patients received disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (mainly methotrexate and leflunomide), 20% – biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. We compared groups 1 and 2 for RA activity (DAS28, CDAI, SDAI), pain intensity on a visual analogue scale (VAS, 0–100 mm), functional impairment (HAQ), patient global assessment (PGA, VAS), number of painful and swollen joints, quality of life (EQ-5D), signs of anxiety and depression (HADS), CRP level.Results and discussion. The RA activity in patients of the 1st and 2nd groups did not differ statistically significantly. Patients of the 1st group showed significantly higher indicators of the severity of pain, PGA and anxiety than patients of the control group: 71.0±12.5 and 54.7±17.5 mm, respectively (p<0.001); 61.0±13.1 and 53.7±15.3 mm (p=0.045); 62.1 and 28.6% (HADS ≥7; p<0.001), respectively.Conclusion. SNP are associated with higher rates of pain intensity, PGA, and anxiety in RA patients with moderate to high disease activity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Mohammad-Ayman A. Safi ◽  
Dhiya T. Houssien

To assess the prevalence and association of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides and rheumatoid factor in Saudi rheumatoid arthritis patients.Over three years (February 2011 - February 2014). Demographic and clinical features, drugs, rheumatoid factor-positivity, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides-positivity were recorded for 205 Saudi rheumatoid arthritis patients (185 females; mean age was 45 years and mean disease duration was 5 years). Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides and rheumatoid factor were assessed in serum. Disease activity scores for 28 joints was used. There were 36% rheumatoid factor+ve and 45% anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides+ve. 21.5% of the rheumatoid factor-ve subjects were anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides+ve. 13.3% of the rheumatoid factor positive patients were anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides-ve and 86.7% were anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides+ve. Significant association (P < 0.05) of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides-positivity and rheumatoid factor-positivity with each other, and with gender, use of disease–modifying antirheumatic drugs, hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate. No direct impact of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides status on the disease activity scores for 28 joints or its constituents (P > 0.5); nevertheless, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides positive patients appear to represent a greater need for combination disease modifying drugs. 


2020 ◽  
pp. 87-95
Author(s):  
Alice Mason ◽  
Mariam Malik

In recent years, a new concept of prehabilitation, enhancing an individual’s functional capacity ahead of a medical intervention, has begun to be explored in the fields of surgery and oncology, with positive results. This article explores applying the principle of prehabilitation to patients with rheumatoid arthritis prior to starting advanced therapies, including biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. In this article, the literature is reviewed and the existing evidence is summarised, and the suggestion is that this approach could improve a patient’s chance of achieving low disease activity or remission. There are a number of opportunities for improving the likelihood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis having a good response to therapy. Research shows that smokers starting TNF inhibitors are less likely to achieve a good response compared to non-smokers. Obese patients are also less likely to achieve a good response with TNF inhibitors; female patients with obesity may be less likely to achieve a good response with tocilizumab and early real-world data suggest there may be a reduced response to JAK inhibitors. Rheumatoid arthritis patients experiencing depression are less likely to respond to TNF inhibitors. Increased physical activity is potentially beneficial for all rheumatoid arthritis patients, although the effect on response to specific drugs has been less widely explored. Prehabilitation approaches could include targeting smoking cessation, improving physical activity, providing psychological support, optimising BMI, and dietary changes. A number of studies have shown that each of these interventions can lead to significant improvements in disease activity scores, with some patients potentially benefitting from more than one intervention. The authors identify principles for delivering prehabilitation in practice and suggest that this is an exciting area for ongoing research.


2021 ◽  
pp. jrheum.211000
Author(s):  
Alfredo Aguirre ◽  
Jinoos Yazdany

Biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) have long been recognized to cause hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in individuals chronically infected with or previously exposed to HBV.1 Despite this knowledge, many patients treated with b/tsDMARDs experience HBV reactivation each year because of inconsistent screening.2


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