Factors influencing the choice of first- and second-line biologic therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: real-life data from the Italian LORHEN Registry.

According to international recommendations, the selection of the biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (bDMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is mainly left to the clinician's preference. We analyzed the real-life factors influencing the first-line choice or the switching strategy, focusing on the prescription of abatacept (ABA) or tocilizumab (TCZ) compared to TNFα inhibitors (TNFi). Patients enrolled in the Lombardy Rheumatology Network (LORHEN) Registry after January 1, 2010, when all considered bDMARD agents were available, were included. The population was divided into "first-" and "second-line" bDMARD. We included 1910 patients (first line n = 1264, second line n = 646). Age was higher in ABA or TCZ vs TNFi treated patients (p < 0.0001). Positive latent tuberculosis screening was associated with first-line ABA (p = 0.002). Methotrexate (MTX) combination therapy was lower in the TCZ group (p = 0.02). The type (dyslipidemia, hypertension, pulmonary disease) and the number of comorbidities influenced the choice towards ABA (p = 0.01). Multinomial logistic regression demonstrated that a second-line treatment, higher age, dyslipidemia, pulmonary disease, other comorbidities, and extra-articular RA manifestations were associated with ABA compared to TNFi. TCZ was associated with a second-line treatment, higher age, and more severe disease activity. Stopping the first bDMARD due to adverse events (AE) influenced the choice towards ABA. In real life, higher age and comorbidities influence the choice towards ABA and TCZ compared to TNFi. ABA was preferred in case of suspension of previous treatments due to AE. After failing a first-line TNFi, swapping to a different mechanism of action is more common.

Chlamydophila psittaci subclinical infection in chronic polyarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence indicates that Chlamydophila psittaci (Cp) may establish chronic infections, which may promote autoimmunity and/or B cell lymphoproliferation. METHODS: The presence of a subclinical Cp infection was investigated in 293 patients with chronic inflammatory polyarthritis, including 175 patients with rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive and/or anti-CCP-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 118 with seronegative polyarthritis (46 RF-negative/anti-CCP-negative RA, 36 psoriatic arthritis and 36 undifferentiated spondyloarthritis). One hundred and eighty-five healthy controls were also investigated. The presence of Cp infection was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using several PCR protocols targeting different regions of the Cp genome (16S-23S spacer rRNA, OMP-A, and Gro-EL). The DNA of other Chlamydia species (C. Pneumoniae and C. Trachomatis) was also investigated. Amplicons were sequenced to confirm the specificity of PCR products. RESULTS: The presence of a subclinical chronic Cp infection was observed in a significantly higher percentage of patients with chronic polyarthritis (38/293; 13%) compared to healthy controls (1/185, 0.5%; OR=27.4, 95%CI:3.73-201.6, p<0.0001). Furthermore, the prevalence of Cp was higher in seronegative polyarthritis (23/118; 19.5%) than in seropositive RA patients (15/175; 7.4%; OR=2.58, 95%CI: 1.28-5.19, p=0.0078). The highest prevalence of Cp infection was found in RF/anti-CCP double-negative RA patients (13/46, 28.3%), followed by patients with psoriatic arthritis (6/36; 16.7%). No differences in age, sex, disease duration and undergoing therapies were noticed between Cp-positive and Cp-negative patients; nor between seropositive and seronegative patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cp may be an infectious trigger possibly involved in the pathogenesis of a fraction of inflammatory polyarthritis, particularly in seronegative patients.