Usefulness of adalimumab in the treatment of refractory uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy and safety of adalimumab in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and associated refractory uveitis. DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective case series. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients (mean [SD] age of 11.5 [7.9] years) with JIA-associated uveitis who were either not responsive to standard immunosuppressive therapy or intolerant to it were enrolled. Patients aged 13-17 years were treated with 40 mg of adalimumab every other week for 6 months and those aged 4-12 years received 24 mg/m(2) body surface. RESULTS: Inflammation of the anterior chamber (2.02 [1.16] versus 0.42 [0.62]) and of the posterior segment (2.38 [2.97] versus 0.35 [0.71] decreased significantly between baseline and the final visit (P < 0.001). The mean (SD) macular thickness at baseline was 304.54 (125.03) µ and at the end of follow-up was 230.87 (31.12) µ (P < 0.014). Baseline immunosuppression load was 8.10 (3.99) as compared with 5.08 (3.76) at the final visit (P < 0.001). The mean dose of corticosteroids also decreased from 0.25 (0.43) to 0 (0.02) mg (P < 0.001). No significant side effects requiring discontinuation of therapy were observed. CONCLUSION: Adalimumab seems to be an effective and safe treatment for JIA-associated refractory uveitis and may reduce steroid requirement.

[Cost-effectiveness analysis of Belimumab in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in Spain]. / Análisis coste-efectividad de Belimumab en pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico en España.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of belimumab in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presenting positive biomarkers and active disease despite standard treatment (ST), from the Spanish social perspective. METHODS: A microsimulation model was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of belimumab plus ST versus ST alone. A treatment duration of two years with a life-time horizon were considered. Efficacy data were obtained from belimumab clinical trials and the evolution of the disease was simulated from John Hopkins ´ patient cohort data in the United States. Utility data were obtained from literature review. Direct and indirect costs were calculated based on Spanish published data (€, 2014), applying a discount rate (DR) of 3% to both costs and effects. Results were expressed as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in terms of gained life years (LY) and quality of life adjusted life years (QALYs). Probabilistic (PSA) and deterministic sensitivity analyses (DR of 0% and 5%, 5-years treatment duration and excluding indirect costs) were performed to determine the robustness of the model. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was 16,647€ per life year gained, with an incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) of 23,158€ per additional QALY gained. In 68% of the scenarios simulated in the PSA, belimumab was found to be a cost-effective alternative, considering a threshold of 30,000€/ QALY. CONCLUSION: Belimumab can be regarded as a cost-effective alternative from the Spanish social perspective.

Objetivo: Estimar el coste-efectividad (CE) de belimumab en aquellos pacientes con biomarcadores positivos y enfermedad activa a pesar del tratamiento estandar (TE) desde la perspectiva social espanola. Métodos: A partir de un modelo de microsimulacion, que permite simular la evolucion natural de la enfermedad, se estimo el CE de belimumab + TE vs. TE. Se considero una duracion del tratamiento de dos anos y un horizonte temporal de toda la vida. La extrapolacion de eficacia a largo plazo se baso en los ensayos clinicos de belimumab y en la cohorte de pacientes John Hopkins de Estados Unidos; los datos de utilidades se obtuvieron de la literatura. Se calcularon costes directos e indirectos en base a datos espanoles publicados (€, 2014), aplicando una tasa de descuento (TD) del 3% tanto a costes como a efectos. Los resultados se expresaron como ratio coste- efectividad incremental (ICER) en terminos de anos de vida ganados (AVG) y anos de vida ajustados por calidad (AVAC). Se realizaron analisis de sensibilidad deterministicos (TD al 0% y 5%, duracion de tratamiento 5 anos y exclusion de costes indirectos) asi como probabilisticos (PSA). Resultados: El ICER de belimumab + TE vs. TE fue de 16.647€/ AVG y 23.158€/AVAC respectivamente. La variacion de la TD supuso la mayor variacion de los resultados respecto al escenario base. En el 68% de los escenarios simulados en el PSA, belimumab fue una alternativa coste-efectiva considerando como umbral 30.000€/AVAC. Conclusiones: Belimumab puede considerarse una alternativa coste-efectiva desde la perspectiva social espanola.