Abatacept inhibits inflammation and onset of rheumatoid arthritis in individuals at high risk (ARIAA): a randomised, international, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) and subclinical inflammatory changes in joints are at high risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment strategies to intercept this pre-stage clinical disease remain to be developed. We aimed to assess whether 6-month treatment with abatacept improves inflammation in preclinical rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: The abatacept reversing subclinical inflammation as measured by MRI in ACPA positive arthralgia (ARIAA) study is a randomised, international, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 14 hospitals and community centres across Europe (11 in Germany, two in Spain, and one in the Czech Republic). Adults (aged ≥18 years) with ACPA positivity, joint pain (but no swelling), and signs of osteitis, synovitis, or tenosynovitis in hand MRI were randomly assigned (1:1) to weekly subcutaneous abatacept 125 mg or placebo for 6 months followed by a double-blind, drug-free, observation phase for 12 months. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with any reduction in inflammatory MRI lesions at 6 months. The primary efficacy analysis was done in the modified intention-to-treat population, which included participants who were randomly assigned and received study medication. Safety analyses were conducted in participants who received the study medication and had at least one post-baseline observation. The study was registered with the EUDRA-CT (2014-000555-93). FINDINGS: Between Nov 6, 2014, and June 15, 2021, 139 participants were screened. Of 100 participants, 50 were randomly assigned to abatacept 125 mg and 50 to placebo. Two participants (one from each group) were excluded due to administration failure or refusing treatment; thus, 98 were included in the modified intention-to-treat population. 70 (71%) of 98 participants were female and 28 (29%) of 98 were male. At 6 months, 28 (57%) of 49 participants in the abatacept group and 15 (31%) of 49 participants in the placebo group showed improvement in MRI subclinical inflammation (absolute difference 26·5%, 95% CI 5·9-45·6; p=0·014). Four (8%) of 49 participants in the abatacept group and 17 (35%) of 49 participants in the placebo group developed rheumatoid arthritis (hazard ratio [HR] 0·14 [0·04-0·47]; p=0·0016). Improvement of MRI inflammation (25 [51%] of 49 participants in the abatacept group, 12 [24%] of 49 in the placebo group; p=0·012) and progression to rheumatoid arthritis (17 [35%] of 49, 28 [57%] of 49; HR 0·14 [0·04-0·47]; p=0·018) remained significantly different between the two groups after 18 months, 12 months after the end of the intervention. There were 12 serious adverse events in 11 participants (four [8%] of 48 in the abatacept group and 7 [14%] of 49 in the placebo group). No deaths occurred during the study. INTERPRETATION: 6-month treatment with abatacept decreases MRI inflammation, clinical symptoms, and risk of rheumatoid arthritis development in participants at high risk. The effects of the intervention persist through a 1-year drug-free observation phase. FUNDING: Innovative Medicine Initiative.

Rheuma-VOR study: optimising healthcare of rheumatic diseases by multiprofessional coordinating centres.

OBJECTIVES: Early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis is critical to prevent joint damage and functional incapacities. However, the discrepancy between recommendations of early diagnosis and reality is remarkable. The Rheuma-VOR study aimed to improve the time to diagnosis of patients with early arthritis by coordinating cooperation between primary care physicians, specialists and patients in Germany. METHODS: This prospective non-randomised multicentre study involved 2340 primary care physicians, 72 rheumatologists, 4 university hospitals and 4 rheumatology centres in 4 German Federal States. The two coprimary endpoints (time to diagnosis and screening performance of primary care physicians) were evaluated for early versus late implementation phase. Additionally, time to diagnosis and secondary endpoints (decrease of disease activity, increase in quality of life and overall well-being, improvement of fatigue, depression, functional ability, and work ability, reduction in drug and medical costs and hospitalisation) were compared with a reference cohort of the German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ) reflecting standard care. RESULTS: A total of 7049 patients were enrolled in the coordination centres and 1537 patients were diagnosed with a rheumatic disease and consented to further participation. A follow-up consultation after 1 year was realised in 592 patients. The time to diagnosis endpoint and the secondary endpoints were met. In addition, the calculation of cost-effectiveness shows that Rheuma-VOR has a dominant cost-benefit ratio compared with standard care. DISCUSSION: Rheuma-VOR has shown an improvement in rheumatological care, patient-reported outcome parameters and cost savings by coordinating the cooperation of primary care physicians, rheumatologists and patients, in a nationwide approach.

Radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis are not routinely distinguished in everyday clinical care: an analysis of real-world data from rheumatology practices.

The categorization of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) into radiographic (r-axSpA) and non-radiographic (nr-axSpA) subtypes is important in clinical trials but may be of less value in clinical practice. This exploratory cross-sectional, multi-center study evaluated patients with axSpA under routine care at German clinical rheumatology sites (RHADAR real-world database), with a focus on imaging data used for diagnostic classifications. Our analyses included 371 patients with axSpA. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 50.9 (14.0) years, disease duration was 16.4 (13.5) years, and 39.6% were female. Based on the rheumatologist's final assessment, almost half of patients had definite r-axSpA (n = 179; 48.2%), 53 (14.3%) had suspected r-axSpA, 112 (30.2%) had non-radiographic-axSpA (nr-axSpA), and 27 (7.3%) had undefined axSpA. Patients assessed with definite or suspected r-axSpA were more likely to be treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) (62.0% and 64.2%, respectively) compared with nr-axSpA or undefined axSpA patients (37.5% and 48.1%, respectively). Almost all patients (348/371; 93.8%) had sacroiliac joint imaging data (radiographs or magnetic resonance imaging) documented in their charts, but only 216 (58.2%) had conventional radiographs required for formal diagnosis of r-axSpA by modified New York criteria. Follow-up radiographic imaging in nr-axSpA patients was uncommon (23/216 [25.0%]) but confirmed r-axSpA in 9/23 patients (39.1%). In conclusion, radiographs were available for slightly more than half of axSpA patients. Follow-up imaging was infrequent during rheumatology care in Germany but confirmed r-axSpA in ~ 40% of patients originally considered to have nr-axSpA. The distinction between r-axSpA and nr-axSpA may be ill-defined in routine clinical practice.

[Current data on rheumatological care: annual report from the National database (NDB) of the regional collaborative arthritis centres in Germany]. / Aktuelle Zahlen zur rheumatologischen Versorgung ­ Jahresbericht aus der Kerndokumentation der regionalen kooperativen Rheumazentren.

In the National database (NDB) of the German regional collaborative arthritis centres, annual data on the rheumatological care of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases have been collected since 1993. This first annual report presents current cross-sectional data on medication and patient-reported outcomes gathered in 2022.

Impairment in cognitive function in patients with axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

Spondyloarthritis may contribute to deficits in cognition. The objective of this study was to compare cognitive abilities in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with matched reference groups. This investigator-initiated, cross-sectional, exploratory study of adults with axSpA or PsA was conducted at two German rheumatology centres (November 2018-September 2019). All data on patient and disease characteristics and cognitive abilities were collected at a single visit. Cognitive function was assessed by the previously validated Memory and Attention Test subscores of selective attention, episodic working memory, and episodic short-term memory and compared with subscores from healthy age-, sex-, and education-matched reference subjects. The mean patient age was 51.1 and 55.8 years in the axSpA (n = 101) and PsA (n = 117) groups, respectively, and mean symptom duration was 13.7 and 10.3 years. Compared with matched reference subjects, axSpA and PsA patients showed significant impairments in selective attention (mean difference of -6.5 and -4.5, respectively, on a 45-point scale; P < 0.001 for both) and no significant differences in episodic working memory. The PsA cohort, but not the axSpA cohort, had significantly better episodic short-term memory subscores compared with matched reference subjects (mean change of 2.0 on a 15-point scale; P < 0.001). Explorative subgroup analyses were unable to identify factors influencing cognitive changes, including disease activity, pain, and function, but may have been underpowered. We conclude that impairments in selective attention may impact the ability of axSpA and PsA patients to process information. These findings warrant additional studies, including longitudinal analyses, in patients with spondyloarthritis.

[Swelling of the salivary glands and sicca symptoms in Kimura's disease, a rare rheumatological differential diagnosis with an indicatively high IgE serum level-A current overview after literature search]. / Speicheldrüsenschwellung und Sicca-Symptomatik bei Morbus Kimura, einer seltenen rheumatologischen Differenzialdiagnose mit wegweisend hohem IgE-Serumspiegel ­ eine aktuelle Übersicht nach Literatursuche.

Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) include various diseases with sometimes rather different symptoms, some of which are locally confined and others show systemic features. Autoimmune phenomena, such as those occurring in Sjögren's syndrome, often cause symptoms such as xerostomia and xerophthalmia in association with inflammation of the salivary glands. The pathogenesis of these diseases is only partly clarified. This is similar to allergic diseases, which are otherwise clearly different with respect to the symptoms and pathomechanisms but swelling of the salivary glands can also rarely occur here. As this is a possible differential diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome or also IgG4-associated diseases, and such a case was recently described, a literature search was carried out in PubMed, the results of which are presented here and summarized in this article in a brief overview.

[With RheMIT rheumatology centers can participate in the German national database-Expansion of the long-term rheumatological documentation]. / Mit RheMIT können Rheumazentren an der bundesweiten Kerndokumentation teilnehmen ­ Erweiterung der rheumatologischen Langzeitdokumentation.

The national database (NDB) of the German regional collaborative rheumatology centers was switched to the RheMIT documentation software last year. Rheumatology centers that already use RheMIT for care contracts or other research projects can therefore use the software to also participate in the NDB. Experiences from a hospital, a medical care center and a specialist practice show how the changeover to RheMIT from an existing documentation system or a new participation in the NDB with RheMIT can be implemented. The NDB team at the German Rheumatism Research Center in Berlin (DRFZ) welcomes new participating rheumatology centers.

A Real-World Rheumatology Registry and Research Consortium: The German RheumaDatenRhePort (RHADAR) Registry.

Real-world data are crucial to continuously improve the management of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). The German RheumaDatenRhePort (RHADAR) registry encompasses a network of rheumatologists and researchers in Germany providing pseudonymized real-world patient data and allowing timely and continuous improvement in the care of RMD patients. The RHADAR modules allow automated anamnesis and adaptive coordination of appointments regarding individual urgency levels. Further modules focus on the collection and integration of electronic patient-reported outcomes in between consultations. The digital RHADAR modules ultimately allow a patient-centered adaptive approach to integrated medical care starting as early as possible in the disease course. Such a closed-loop system consisting of various modules along the whole patient pathway enables comprehensive and timely patient management in an unprecedented manner.

Comorbidity and health care utilisation in persons with Sjögren's syndrome: a claims data analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To capture comorbidity and medication of persons with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) in a population-based cohort in comparison to matched controls. METHODS: Individuals with an outpatient diagnosis of M35.0 (ICD-10) in ≥2 quarters of a year or an inpatient diagnosis of M35.0 were identified in a German statutory health insurance fund covering 7.2 million people. Persons in rheumatologic care were grouped by incident or prevalent diagnosis and by co-existing autoimmune disease (sSS) or primary (p)SS and compared to age- and sex-matched controls regarding comorbidity (ICD-10), medical prescriptions, hospitalisation and inability to work in the previous year. RESULTS: In 2018, 7,283 persons (0.10%) had incident and 54,273 persons (0.75%) prevalent SS diagnosis, and 5,961 (11%) were in rheumatologic care. Of these (90% female, mean age 66 years), 3,457 (58%) had further autoimmune disease (sSS), mostly rheumatoid arthritis (80%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (13%). Compared to controls, frequent comorbid conditions in SS were hypertension (controls: 52%, pSS: 55%, sSS: 63%), osteoarthritis (22%/40%/47%), osteoporosis (10%/26%/38%) and depression (21%/34%/36%). Systemic antirheumatic drugs were prescribed in 31% (pSS) and 66% (sSS) while < 5% received topical therapies. Glucocorticoids (8%/34%/59%), NSAIDs (28%/41%/45%), opioids (8%/15%/21%), analgesics (19%/30%/36%) and antidepressants (14%/21%/21%) were frequently prescribed. Compared to controls, hospitalisation (21%/32%/39%) and inability to work in persons <65 years (41%/48%/44%, median days 17/24/30) were more frequent in pSS and sSS than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: SS claims diagnosis is associated with substantial comorbidity and frequent prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antidepressants. The individual and societal burden of SS shows that, in addition to effective treatment strategies, intensive attention to comorbidities is important in this disease.

[Medical assistant-a profession in a state of flux]. / Medizinische Fachangestellte ­ ein Beruf im Wandel.

New treatment strategies and treatment possibilities as well as undertreatment due to the lack of medical specialists especially in rheumatology, necessitate a qualified further training of rheumatological assistant personnel. The increasing independent work of medical and rheumatological assistants expected by physicians with respect to patient management and practice organization, necessitates an intensive cooperation between the two professional groups. The aim is to guarantee the competent treatment of chronically ill patients with rheumatism. Finally, this concept offers the chance of additional professional qualifications for the rheumatological assistant profession and support for rheumatologists in the daily routine. This particularly applies to the engagement at several levels supported by the results of various studies, which indicate tasks that can be delegated to rheumatological assistants and confirm an improvement in the quality of patient care.

Drug survival superiority of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and interleukin-17 inhibitors over Janus kinase inhibitors and interleukin-12/23 inhibitors in German psoriatic arthritis outpatients: retrospective analysis of the RHADAR database.

Objective: Treatment options with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have evolved over recent years. In addition to Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi), four classes of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs; interleukin [IL]-23 inhibitors [IL-23i], IL-12/23 inhibitors [IL-12/23i], tumor necrosis factor inhibitors [TNFi], and IL-17 inhibitors [IL-17i]) are currently approved for moderate to severe PsA treatment. There is minimal evidence of the persistence of these drugs among PsA outpatients in a real-world scenario during the period following the approval of JAKi. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the drug survival rates of biologic and JAKi therapies among German PsA outpatients during routine clinical care. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed PsA patients with a new prescription for a biologic or JAKi in the RHADAR database between January 2015 and October 2023. Kaplan-Meier Curves and Cox regression modelling were used to compare drug survival rates. Results: 1352 new prescriptions with bDMARDs (IL-12/23i [n=50], IL-23i [n=31], TNFi [n=774], IL-17i [n=360]) or JAKi (n=137) were identified. The 5-year drug survival rate was 67.8% for IL-17i, 62.3% for TNFi, 53.3% for JAKi, and 46.0% for IL-12/23i. Discontinuation probabilities for JAKi and IL-12/23i were significantly higher compared with TNFi (JAKi hazard ratio [HR] 1.66, [95% CI 1.23-2.24], p=0.001; IL-12/23i HR 1.54, [95% CI 1.02-2.33], p=0.042) and IL-17i (JAKi HR 1.77, [95% CI 1.27-2.47], p=0.001; IL-12/23i HR 1.64, [95% CI 1.06-2.55], p=0.027). JAKi-treated patients had more severe disease and more osteoarthritis (OA) compared to TNFi and more OA compared to IL-17i. Conclusion: German PsA outpatients might persist longer with TNFi and IL-17i compared with IL-12/23i or JAKi. For TNFi, differences in subgroup characteristics and comorbidities (OA) may have affected drug survival rates. For IL-17i, the longer drug survival might not only be related to less OA compared to JAKi and, therefore, might be affected by other factors.

Bilateral swelling of the salivary glands and sicca symptoms: an unusual differential diagnosis-Kimura's disease, a rare allergic condition with a high IgE serum level-a case report and review of the literature.

A 68-year-old woman presented with bilateral swelling of the salivary glands, sicca symptoms of eyes and mouth, itching, fatigue and weight gain of about 5 kg in the last 2-3 years. As part of a careful diagnostic work up including lab tests for antinuclear antibodies (ANA), antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (ENA), anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmatic antiobodies (ANCA), immunoglobulin (Ig)G4, a whole body computed tomography (CT) and a parotid biopsy several rheumatic diseases such as Sjoegren's syndrome, IgG4-related disease and sarcoidosis were ruled out and, considering a very high titre of IgE, Kimura's disease was diagnosed. The case and a short review of the literature are presented.

Is the Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease (RAID) score a meaningful instrument for other inflammatory rheumatic diseases? A cross-sectional analysis of data from the German National Database.

ObjectiveTo analyse the performance of the rheumatoid arthritis impact of disease (RAID) score in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren's syndrome, idiopathic inflammatory myositis and systemic sclerosis, as compared with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).MethodsA total of 12 398 patients from the German National Database were included. For each diagnosis, we calculated age-adjusted/sex-adjusted partial correlation coefficients between RAID and patient global (PtGl) health, PtGl disease activity, physician global (PhGl) disease activity, Well-Being Index (WHO-5) and EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). As a measure of agreement, the mean differences between the RAID and other outcomes were compared with the respective differences for RA. The effect of each diagnosis on the difference between RAID and the other scores was assessed with linear regression, with RA as the reference.ResultsAcross all diagnoses, RAID correlated strongly with PtGl health (0.71-0.83), moderately to strongly with PtGl disease activity (0.59-0.79), WHO-5 (0.65-0.81) and EQ-5D (0.68-0.73) and weakly with PhGl disease activity (0.23-0.38). Mean differences were calculated for RAID and PtGl disease activity (0 to -0.6), PtGl health (-0.4 to -0.9), WHO-5 (-0.7 to -1.3), EQ-5D (1.1 to 1.7) and PhGl disease activity (1.4 to 2.2). Discrepancies between other scores and RAID were comparable to RA. Linear regression revealed no clinically relevant effect of any of the diagnoses on the difference between RAID and the other outcomes.ConclusionThe RAID score performs comparably across all diagnoses investigated. This supports the use of RAID for measuring the impact also of other rheumatic diseases.

B Cell Characteristics at Baseline Predict Vaccination Response in RTX Treated Patients.

Background: Vaccination is considered as most efficient strategy in controlling SARS-CoV-2 pandemic spread. Nevertheless, patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases receiving rituximab (RTX) are at increased risk to fail humoral and cellular responses upon vaccination. The ability to predict vaccination responses is essential to guide adequate safety and optimal protection in these patients. Methods: B- and T- cell data before vaccination were evaluated for characteristics predicting vaccine responses in altogether 15 patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases receiving RTX. Eleven patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on other therapies, 11 kidney transplant recipients (KTR) on regular immunosuppression and 15 healthy controls (HC) served as controls. A multidimensional analysis of B cell subsets via UMAP algorithm and a correlation matrix were performed in order to identify predictive markers of response in patients under RTX therapy. Results: Significant differences regarding absolute B cell counts and specific subset distribution pattern between the groups were identified at baseline. In this context, the majority of B cells from vaccination responders of the RTX group (RTX IgG+) were naïve and transitional B cells, whereas vaccination non-responders (RTX IgG-) carried preferentially plasmablasts and double negative (CD27-IgD-) B cells. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between neutralizing antibodies and B cells expressing HLA-DR and CXCR5 as well as an inverse correlation with CD95 expression and CD21low expression by B cells among vaccination responders. Summary: Substantial repopulation of the naïve B cell compartment after RTX therapy appeared to be essential for an adequate vaccination response, which seem to require the additional capability of antigen presentation and germinal center formation. Moreover, expression of exhaustion markers represent negative predictors of vaccination responses.

Persistent but atypical germinal center reaction among 3rd SARS-CoV-2 vaccination after rituximab exposure.

Background: Durable vaccine-mediated immunity relies on the generation of long-lived plasma cells and memory B cells (MBCs), differentiating upon germinal center (GC) reactions. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination induces a strong GC response in healthy volunteers (HC), but limited data is available about response longevity upon rituximab treatment. Methods: We evaluated humoral and cellular responses upon 3rd vaccination in seven patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who initially mounted anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies after primary 2x vaccination and got re-exposed to rituximab (RTX) 1-2 months after the second vaccination. Ten patients with RA on other therapies and ten HC represented the control groups. As control for known long-lived induced immunity, we analyzed humoral and cellular tetanus toxoid (TT) immune responses in steady-state. Results: After 3rd vaccination, 5/7 seroconverted RTX patients revealed lower anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels but similar neutralizing capacity compared with HC. Antibody levels after 3rd vaccination correlated with values after 2nd vaccination. Despite significant reduction of circulating total and antigen-specific B cells in RTX re-exposed patients, we observed the induction of IgG+ MBCs upon 3rd vaccination. Notably, only RTX treated patients revealed a high amount of IgA+ MBCs before and IgA+ plasmablasts after 3rd vaccination. IgA+ B cells were not part of the steady state TT+ B cell pool. TNF-secretion and generation of effector memory CD4 spike-specific T cells were significantly boosted upon 3rd vaccination. Summary: On the basis of pre-existing affinity matured MBCs within primary immunisation, RTX re-exposed patients revealed a persistent but atypical GC immune response accompanied by boosted spike-specific memory CD4 T cells upon SARS-CoV-2 recall vaccination.

Validation of the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) with a quick quantitative C-reactive protein assay (SDAI-Q) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective multicenter cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) is a recommended composite score for assessing the remission status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, determination of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels takes several hours and sometimes days and limits the use of the SDAI in the clinical setting. The aim of this study was to validate the SDAI using a quick quantitative C-reactive protein (qCRP) assay (as SDAI-Q) in RA patients. Design: This is a multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional pilot study in RA patients. Methods: Adult patients (⩾18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of RA were recruited between January 2020 and September 2020 from five rheumatologic centers located in Berlin, Germany. SDAI, SDAI-Q, Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and DAS28 scores comprising CRP, qCRP, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were calculated. The agreement of disease activity categories was analyzed using cross tabulations and weighted Cohen's kappa. The agreement of numerical values was analyzed with Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: Overall, 100 RA patients were included in the statistical analysis. The mean value of qCRP (7.89 ± 16.98 mg/l) was slightly higher than that of routine laboratory CRP (6.97 ± 15.02 mg/l). Comparing SDAI and SDAI-Q, all patients were assigned to identical disease activity categories. Agreement of disease activity categories by CDAI and SDAI/SDAI-Q was observed in 93% with a weighted Cohen's kappa of 0.929 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.878; 0.981). Conclusion: The SDAI-Q showed an absolute agreement regarding the assignment of disease activity categories in comparison with the conventional SDAI. Therefore, the SDAI-Q may facilitate the application of a treat-to-target concept in clinical trials and clinical routine as a quickly available disease activity score incorporating CRP as an objective parameter.

Validation of the ASDAS with a quick quantitative CRP assay (ASDAS-Q) in patients with axial SpA: a prospective multicentre cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to validate the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) based on a quick quantitative C-reactive protein (qCRP) assay (ASDAS-Q) in a multicentre, prospective, cross-sectional study in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA). Methods: Disease activity assessment was performed in prospectively recruited patients with axial SpA. Routine laboratory CRP was determined in the central laboratory of each study centre, while quick qCRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured locally. Consequently, ASDAS-CRP, ASDAS-Q using the qCRP and ASDAS-ESR were calculated. The absolute agreement on the disease activity category ascertainment was analysed with cross-tabulations and weighted Cohen's kappa. Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to analyse the criterion validity. Results: Overall, 251 axial SpA patients were included in the analysis. The mean qCRP value (6.34 ± 11.13 mg/l) was higher than that of routine laboratory CRP (5.26 ± 9.35 mg/l). The ICC for routine laboratory CRP versus qCRP was 0.985 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.972-0.991]. Comparing ASDAS-Q with ASDAS-CRP, 242 of 251 (96.4%) patients were assigned to the same disease activity categories with a weighted Cohen's kappa of 0.966 (95% CI: 0.943-0.988) and ICC of 0.997 (95% CI: 0.994-0.999). Conclusions: ASDAS-Q showed an almost perfect agreement with ASDAS-CRP in the assignment to specific disease activity categories. Consequently, ASDAS-Q using the qCRP value can be applied as an accurate and quickly available alternative to ASDAS-CRP, thus facilitating the implementation of the treat-to-target concept in clinical trials and clinical routine.

Evaluation of the Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) with a quick quantitative C reactive protein assay (Q-DAPSA) in patients with psoriatic arthritis: a prospective multicentre cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) based on a quick quantitative C reactive protein (qCRP) assay (Q-DAPSA) in a multicentre, prospective, cross-sectional study in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: The assessment of prospectively recruited study patients included joint examination and patient reported outcome (PRO) measures (patient global assessment, patient pain assessment). Following, the DAPSA based on a routine laboratory CRP measurement, Q-DAPSA and clinical DAPSA (cDAPSA) were calculated. Cross-tabulations and weighted Cohen's kappa were performed to analyse the agreement of disease activity categories. Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to determine the agreement of numerical values regarding CRP and qCRP as well as different disease activity scores. RESULTS: Altogether, 104 patients with PsA could be included in the statistical analysis. With Q-DAPSA, 102 of 104 (98.1%) patients achieved identical disease activity categories in comparison to DAPSA with a weighted Cohen's kappa of 0.980 (95% CI: 0.952 to 1.000). The agreement between DAPSA and cDAPSA was slightly lower with identical disease activity categories seen in 97 of 104 (93.3%) of patients and with a weighted Cohen's kappa of 0.932 (95% CI 0.885 to 0.980). CONCLUSIONS: The Q-DAPSA showed an almost perfect agreement with the conventional DAPSA regarding identical disease activity categories. Thus, the Q-DAPSA can be used as a timely available disease activity score in patients with PsA with the additional benefit of CRP involvement. Consequently, the Q-DAPSA could facilitate the implementation of the treat-to-target concept in clinical routine and clinical trials.

B Cell Numbers Predict Humoral and Cellular Response Upon SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Among Patients Treated With Rituximab.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases receiving rituximab (RTX) therapy are at higher risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes and show substantially impaired humoral immune response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. However, the complex relationship between antigen-specific B cells and T cells and the level of B cell repopulation necessary to achieve anti-vaccine responses remain largely unknown. METHODS: Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and induction of antigen-specific B and CD4/CD8 T cell subsets were studied in 19 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis receiving RTX, 12 patients with RA receiving other therapies, and 30 healthy controls after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with either messenger RNA or vector-based vaccines. RESULTS: A minimum of 10 B cells per microliter (0.4% of lymphocytes) in the peripheral circulation appeared to be required for RTX-treated patients to mount seroconversion to anti-S1 IgG upon SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. RTX-treated patients who lacked IgG seroconversion showed reduced receptor-binding domain-positive B cells (P = 0.0005), a lower frequency of Tfh-like cells (P = 0.0481), as well as fewer activated CD4 (P = 0.0036) and CD8 T cells (P = 0.0308) compared to RTX-treated patients who achieved IgG seroconversion. Functionally relevant B cell depletion resulted in impaired interferon-γ secretion by spike-specific CD4 T cells (P = 0.0112, r = 0.5342). In contrast, antigen-specific CD8 T cells were reduced in both RA patients and RTX-treated patients, independently of IgG formation. CONCLUSION: In RTX-treated patients, a minimum of 10 B cells per microliter in the peripheral circulation is a candidate biomarker for a high likelihood of an appropriate cellular and humoral response after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Mechanistically, the data emphasize the crucial role of costimulatory B cell functions for the proper induction of CD4 responses propagating vaccine-specific B cell and plasma cell differentiation.

Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis: Have Numbers Changed During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

This longitudinal analysis compares the prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with psoriatic arthritis in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from a national patient register in Germany were analyzed regarding the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2) to identify cases suspicious for depression at two time points, i.e., before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only patients with complete concurrent information on the Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis Score (DAPSA) were included in the analysis. The frequency of depressive symptoms in psoriatic arthritis patients during the COVID-19 pandemic did not differ from the prevalence rates measured before. In addition, prevalence rates for depressive symptoms did not differ when stratifying the patient sample for DAPSA levels of disease activity measured before the pandemic. These results were confirmed further in a sensitivity analysis, limiting the second PHQ-2 assessment to lockdown periods only. However, longitudinal data on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with rheumatic diseases, in general, and psoriatic arthritis, in particular, are scarce in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. For a sensible comparison of prevalence rates for depressive symptoms in the future, underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and resulting local healthcare disruptions need to be taken into account, besides the potential use of different depression screening tools to evaluate resulting numbers sensibly and draw corresponding conclusions for patient care.