Medical Care as Flea Market Bargaining? An International Interdisciplinary Study of Varieties of Shared Decision Making in Physician-Patient Interactions.

Phenomenon: Shared decision making (SDM) is a core ideal in the interaction between healthcare providers and patients, but the implementation of the SDM ideal in clinical routines has been a relatively slow process. Approach: In a sociological study, 71 interactions between physicians and simulated patients enacting chronic heart failure were video-recorded in China, Germany, the Netherlands, and Turkey as part of a quasi-experimental research design. Participating physicians varied in specialty and level of experience. The secondary analysis presented in this article used content analysis to study core components of SDM in all of the 71 interactions and a grounded theory approach to observe how physicians responded actively to patients even though they did not actively employ the SDM ideal. Findings: Full realization of the SDM ideal remains an exception, but various aspects of SDM in physician-patient interaction were observed in all four locations. Analyses of longer interactions show dynamic processes of interaction that sometimes surprised both patient and physician. We observed varieties of SDM that differ from the SDM ideal but arguably achieve what the SDM ideal is intended to achieve. Our analysis suggests a need to revisit the SDM ideal-to consider whether varieties of SDM may be acceptable, even valuable, in their own right. Insights: The gap between the SDM ideal and SDM as implemented in clinical practice may in part be explained by the tendency of medicine to define and teach SDM through a narrow lens of checklist evaluations. The authors support the argument that SDM defies a checklist approach. SDM is not uniform, but nuanced, dependent on circumstances and setting. As SDM is co-produced by patients and physicians in a dynamic process of interaction, medical researchers should consider and medical learners should be exposed to varieties of SDM-related practice rather than a single idealized model. Observing and discussing worked examples contributes to the physician's development of realistic expectations and personal professional growth.

Hearts in their hands-Physicians' gestures embodying shared professional knowledge around the world.

The biomedical approach to medical knowledge is widely accepted around the world. This article considers whether the incorporated aspects of physician-patient interaction have become similarly common across the globe by comparing the gestures that physicians use in their interactions with patients. Up to this point, there has been little research on physicians' use of gestures in health-care settings. We explore how-in four university hospitals in Turkey, the People's Republic of China, The Netherlands and Germany-physicians use gesture in their discussions with simulated patients about the condition of heart failure. Our analysis confirms the importance of gestures for organising both the personal interaction and the knowledge transfer between physician and patient. From the perspective of global comparison, it is notable that physicians in all four hospitals used similar gestures. This demonstrates the globality of biomedical knowledge in an embodied mode. Physicians used gestures for a range of purposes, including to convey the idea of an 'anatomical map' and for constructing visual models of (patho-)physiological processes. Since biomedical language is rife with metaphor, it was not surprising that we also identified an accompanying metaphorical gesture which has a similar form in the various locations that were part of the study.

Characterization of patients with psoriatic arthritis in dermatologic and rheumatologic care: analysis of two registries.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease affecting the musculoskeletal system, skin and nails. The aim is to characterize sociodemographic and clinical patient profiles documented in dermatologic and rheumatologic care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data of 704 patients with PsA from the dermatological Psoriasis Registry PsoBest (PB) and 1066 patients from the rheumatological disease registry RABBIT-SpA (RS) were analyzed. Comparable anamnestic and clinical variables were identified and descriptively analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age was 51.7 years in PB and 51.9 in RS. Disease duration of psoriasis was longer, mean cutaneous severity was higher in PB. However, more patients in RS vs. PB had tender joints and swollen joints. Mean Dermatology Life Quality Index was higher in PB and mean Health Assessment Questionnaire in RS. Patient reported global disease activity and pain were lower in PB. IL-23 inhibitors were used more frequently in PB, and TNF inhibitors in RS. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical specialization was associated with different clinical and treatment patterns of PsA. This may indicate a selection by dominant manifestation of psoriatic disease and potentially by effects of health care access. Psoriatic arthritis should be treated in a multidisciplinary approach considering all facets of this complex disease.

Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in women with axial spondyloarthritis: pooled data analysis from the European Network of Pregnancy Registries in Rheumatology (EuNeP).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate outcome and course of pregnancies in women with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in a pooled data analysis of pregnancy registries in rheumatology. METHODS: Prospectively followed women with axSpA, fulfilling ASAS classification criteria and for whom a pregnancy outcome was reported, were eligible for the analysis. Anonymised data of four registries was pooled. Rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes were calculated. Systemic inflammation, disease activity and treatment patterns with tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) before, during and after pregnancy were analysed. RESULTS: In a total of 332 pregnancies from 304 axSpA women, 98.8% of the pregnancies resulted in live birth. Mean maternal age was 31 years and disease duration 5 years. Most of these patients received pre-conception counselling (78.4%). Before pregnancy, 53% received TNFi treatment, 27.5% in first and 21.4% in third trimester. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were favourable with rates of 2.2% for pre-eclampsia, 4.9% for preterm birth, 3.1% for low birth weight and 9.5% for small for gestational age. Neonates were delivered by caesarean section in 27.7% of pregnancies, of which 47.4% were emergencies. Pooled mean CRP was 4 mg/L before conception peaking in the second trimester at 9.4 mg/L. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was below 4 at all time-points. CONCLUSIONS: Pooled rates of most outcomes were better than what had been reported in the literature and within expected rates of those reported for the general population. Pre-conception counselling, planned pregnancies and a tight management in expert centres applying a tailored treatment approach may have contributed to the favourable pregnancy outcomes.

Canakinumab for Treatment of Adult-Onset Still's Disease to Achieve Reduction of Arthritic Manifestation (CONSIDER): phase II, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, investigator-initiated trial.

BACKGROUND: Inhibition of interleukin (IL)-1 represents a promising treatment option in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of canakinumab in patients with AOSD and active joint involvement by means of a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: Patients with AOSD and active joint involvement (tender and swollen joint counts of ≥4 each) were treated with canakinumab (4 mg/kg, maximum 300 mg subcutaneous every 4 weeks) or placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a clinically relevant reduction in disease activity at week 12 as determined by the change in disease activity score (ΔDAS28>1.2). RESULTS: At enrolment, patients had high active disease with a mean DAS28(ESR) of 5.4 in the canakinumab and 5.3 in the placebo group, respectively. In the intention-to-treat analysis, 12 patients (67%) in the canakinumab group and 7 patients (41%) in the placebo group fulfilled the primary outcome criterion (p=0.18). In the per-protocol analysis, significantly higher American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 30% (61% vs 20%, p=0.033), ACR 50% (50% vs 6.7%, p=0.009) and ACR 70% (28% vs 0%, p=0.049) response rates were observed in the canakinumab group compared with the placebo group. Two patients in the canakinumab group experienced a serious adverse event. CONCLUSION: Although the study was terminated prematurely and the primary endpoint was not achieved, treatment with canakinumab led to an improvement of several outcome measures in AOSD. The overall safety findings were consistent with the known profile of canakinumab. Thus, our data support indication for IL-1 inhibition with canakinumab in AOSD.

Understanding physicians' professional knowledge and practice in research on skilled migration.

Research on the integration of migrant professionals into high-skilled labor markets either focuses on differences between nation states which may be exacerbated by national closure or it celebrates the global versatility of professional knowledge, especially in the natural and health sciences. Building on a pragmatist approach to professional knowledge, the article argues that professional knowledge should not be seen as either universal or local, but both the institutionalized and the incorporated aspects of cultural capital are characterized by 'local universality'. Professionals recreate professional knowledge in specific 'local' situations by relating to universal standards and to internalized 'libraries' of situated expert experience. While the more common notion of knowledge as a socially contested resource continues to be relevant for research on skilled migration, professional knowledge should also be seen as emerging in situations in response to socio-material problems. These problems can be structured by the nation-state, but they can also be transnational in nature.

Efficacy of TNFα blockers in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis investigates the efficacy of tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) blockers versus placebo for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA). METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted independently by two reviewers. Double-blind randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab or infliximab in approved dosages in comparison with placebo were included. The use of concomitant non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs was allowed. The outcome parameters were improvement in disease activity and function measured by the Bath AS disease activity index (BASDAI), Bath AS functional index (BASFI) and ASAS40 response. The effect sizes of the changes in BASDAI/BASFI between TNFα blocker and placebo comparator groups were calculated. Mixed effect models were applied separately for RCTs with AS and nr-axSpA patients and differences between those groups were evaluated in a joint model. RESULTS: 20 studies with data from 3096 patients were included in the analysis: 15 studies with AS patients, four with nr-axSpA patients and one with both. For AS patients, TNFα blockers showed better efficacy than placebo for BASDAI (effect size 1.00), BASFI (effect size 0.67) and ASAS40 response (OR 4.7). For nr-axSpA patients, the differences were smaller (effect sizes 0.73, 0.57; OR 3.6). However, after adjustment for the year of publication as a proxy for disease severity, no differences in the effect sizes between the AS and nr-axSpA trials were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with placebo, TNFα blockers improve disease activity and functional capacity clinically meaningful for both AS and nr-axSpA patients.

Prevention of new osteitis on magnetic resonance imaging in patients with early axial spondyloarthritis during 3 years of continuous treatment with etanercept: data of the ESTHER trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the degree of fluctuation of osteitis on MRI during long-term treatment with etanercept (ETN) in patients with early axial SpA (axSpA) with active inflammation (osteitis) on whole-body MRI in the spine and/or the SI joints at baseline. METHODS: We analysed MRI data from 328 SI joint quadrants and 943 spine vertebral units (VUs) in terms of osteitis in the pooled data set of 41 patients who were treated with ETN for 3 consecutive years. Scoring was performed by two blinded radiologists at baseline, year 2 and year 3. RESULTS: Through years 2 and 3, osteitis on MRI resolved completely in 56 of 144 (38.9%) SI joint quadrants and in 20 of 40 (50%) VUs affected at baseline, while persistent osteitis was found in 24 of 144 (16.7%) SI joint quadrants and in 8 of 40 (20.0%) spine VUs. The development of new osteitis in sites that were free of osteitis at baseline only occurred in 2 of 131 (1.5%) SI joint quadrants and in 3 of 862 (0.4%) spine VUs in both year 2 and year 3. CONCLUSION: There was a consistently small amount of osteitis on MRI in patients with early axSpA compared with baseline values, and only a very low rate of new-onset osteitis was found during 3 years of continuous treatment with ETN. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00844142.

No difference in clinical parameters and drug retention in PsA patients receiving b/tsDMARD monotherapy versus combination with methotrexate: data from the RABBIT-SpA registry.

BACKGROUND: The potential benefit of methotrexate (MTX) in combination with biologic (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is still a matter of debate. OBJECTIVES: To compare clinical and patient reported characteristics as well as drug retention rates in PsA patients receiving b/tsDMARD monotherapy or in combination with MTX. METHODS: RABBIT-SpA is a prospective longitudinal cohort study including axSpA and PsA patients. In this analysis, PsA patients were stratified into two groups: starting b/tsDMARD as monotherapy or in combination with MTX. Treatment retention was compared by drug survival analysis. RESULTS: 69% of the patients (n=900) started b/tsDMARD as monotherapy while 31% were treated in combination with MTX (n=405). At baseline, clinical domains like skin, nail and joint affection, dactylitis, enthesitis and axial involvement were similar between the groups. Only the patients' satisfaction concerning tolerability of the previous treatment was significantly better in the combination group at treatment start. Drug retention rates did not differ between the groups (p=0.4). At 6/12 months, 66%/48% of patients in monotherapy and 67%/48% in the combination group were still on their original treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We did not identify any clinical parameters with notable influence on the choice of b/tsDMARD mono or MTX-combination therapy in PsA. Drug retention rates are similar between mono and combination therapy. It seems that the decision to continue MTX at initiation of b/tsDMARDs is mostly based on the subjective tolerability of MTX treatment.

Active inflammation and structural change in early active axial spondyloarthritis as detected by whole-body MRI.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate active inflammatory lesions (AIL) and structural changes (SC) in patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) compared with patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) on whole-body MRI (wb-MRI). METHOD: 75 patients with active disease and a symptom duration of <5 years (39 with AS and 36 with nr-axSpA) were investigated with a comprehensive wb-MRI protocol and scored for AIL and SC in the spine, sacroiliac joints (SIJs) and non-axial manifestations. RESULTS: 92% of patients with AS showed active inflammation in the SIJ, 53% in the spine and 94% and 39%, respectively, in the nr-axSpA group. There was a non-significant trend towards more inflammation in patients with AS compared with patients with nr-axSpA in SIJs and spine. Peripheral enthesitis/osteitis was more common in patients with AS (n=22) than in those with nr-axSpA (n=12) (p=0.05). SC were more common in patients with AS than in those with nr-axSpA, with significantly higher scores for SIJ fatty bone marrow deposition (FMD) in patients with AS (4.8±3.2) compared with those with nr-axSpA (2.4±2.7; p=0.001) and more frequent bone proliferation in the spine and the SIJ (p=0.02 and p=0.005, respectively). SIJ erosions were more common in AS (score 4.2±2.3) than in nr-axSpA (score 3.8±1.8) patients (not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Wb-MRI detects active inflammation and SC more frequently in the SIJs than in the spine. Half of the patients showed inflammation in non-axial sites. Active inflammatory and structural lesions were present both in patients with AS and those with nr-axSpA, being only slightly more common in patients with AS.

Induction therapy with adalimumab plus methotrexate for 24 weeks followed by methotrexate monotherapy up to week 48 versus methotrexate therapy alone for DMARD-naive patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: HIT HARD, an investigator-initiated study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term effects of induction therapy with adalimumab (ADA) plus methotrexate (MTX) in comparison with placebo (PBO) plus MTX in DMARD-naïve patients with active early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Patients with active early RA (disease duration of ≤12 months) were randomly assigned to receive 40 mg ADA subcutaneously every other week (eow) plus MTX 15 mg/week subcutaneously or PBO plus MTX subcutaneously at 15 mg/week over 24 weeks. Thereafter, all patients received MTX monotherapy up to week 48. The primary outcome was the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) at week 48. Secondary outcomes included proportions of patients in remission (DAS28<2.6), ACR responses, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score and radiographic progression. RESULTS: 87 patients were assigned to ADA/MTX and 85 patients to PBO/MTX. At baseline, DAS28 was 6.2±0.8 in the ADA/MTX and 6.3±0.9 in the PBO/MTX groups. At week 24, treatment with ADA/MTX compared with PBO/MTX resulted in a greater reduction in DAS28 (3.0±1.2 vs 3.6±1.4; p=0.009) and other secondary outcomes such as DAS28 remission rate (47.9% vs 29.5%; p=0.021) and HAQ (0.49±0.6 vs 0.72±0.6; p=0.0014). At week 48, the difference in clinical outcomes between groups was not statistically significant (DAS28: 3.2±1.4 vs 3.4±1.6; p=0.41). Radiographic progression at week 48 was significantly greater in patients administered PBO/MTX (Sharp/van der Heijde score: ADA/MTX 2.6 vs PBO/MTX 6.4; p=0.03, Ratingen score: 1.7 vs 4.2; p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A greater reduction in radiographic progression after initial combination therapy with ADA and MTX was seen at week 48, even after discontinuation of ADA treatment at week 24. This sustained effect was not found at the primary endpoint (DAS28 reduction).

Similar response rates in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis after 1 year of treatment with etanercept: results from the ESTHER trial.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed whether there is a difference to etanercept (ETA) treatment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared with non-radiographic axial SpA (nr-axSpA) patients with a disease duration <5 years. METHOD: AS (n=20) and nr-axSpA (n=20) patients who were treated with ETA for 1 year were compared for differences in baseline data and treatment effect. Clinical, laboratory and MRI of sacroiliac joints (SI-joints) and spine were analysed. RESULTS: At baseline, there were no significant differences between the 20 AS and the 20 nr-axSpA patients regarding age, disease duration, gender, HLA-B27 and clinical disease activity in terms of Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), C-reactive protein and MRI SI-joint and spine scores in the AS compared with the nr-axSpA group. After 1 year of treatment with ETA the treatment effect was similarly good in AS and nr-axSpA (reduction of BASDAI by 3.3 (95% CI 2.2 to 3.8) vs 3.6 (95% CI 2.8 to 4.4) and reduction of AS Disease Activity Score by 1.8 (95% CI 1.5 to 2.2) vs 1.8 (95% CI 1.5 to 2.1), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The response rate to TNF-blockers does not differ between AS and nr-axSpA if the baseline data regarding symptom duration and disease activity are similar for the two groups.

Impact of biologic therapy on functional status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis--a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Using meta-analysis methods, this study aimed to estimate the impact of biologic agents on physical function in patients with RA. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted independently by two investigators. Double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of abatacept, adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab or rituximab in approved dosages in comparison with treatment with non-biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs) and placebo were included. The outcome parameter was improvement in function measured by the standardized mean difference (SMD) of HAQ scores. The SMD is the difference of the change in HAQ between biologic and DMARD comparator groups divided by the pooled standard deviation. Mixed effect models were applied separately for RCTs with DMARD-naive patients and those with DMARD inadequate responders (IRs). RESULTS: Thirty-five RCTs were included in the analysis, 10 with DMARD-naive patients and 25 with DMARD IRs. Overall, biologics led to a greater improvement of physical function than nbDMARDs, with an SMD of the HAQ of 0.44 (95% CI 0.38, 0.50). The improvement was greater for DMARD IRs (SMD 0.48, 95% CI 0.41, 0.56) than for DMARD-naïve patients (SMD 0.32, 95% CI 0.23, 0.41). There were no significant differences between individual biologics in both groups. CONCLUSION: Treatment with biologics led to a clinically relevant greater improvement in physical function than treatment with nbDMARDs. Our results suggest that the improvement found on the group level was caused by a clinically relevant improvement on the patient level in more than 50% of the patients.

Comparison of patients with axial PsA and patients with axSpA and concomitant psoriasis: an analysis of the German register RABBIT-SpA.

BACKGROUND: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) show certain overlaps: A subset of patients with PsA can develop axial involvement (axial PsA, axPsA), while a subset of patients with axSpA presents with psoriasis (axSpA+pso). Treatment strategy for axPsA is mostly based on axSpA evidence. OBJECTIVES: To compare demographic and disease-specific parameters of axPsA and axSpA+pso. METHODS: RABBIT-SpA is a prospective longitudinal cohort study. AxPsA was defined based on (1) clinical judgement by rheumatologists; (2) imaging (sacroiliitis according to modified New York criteria in radiographs or signs of active inflammation in MRI or syndesmophytes/ankylosis in radiographs or signs of active inflammation in spine MRI). axSpA was stratified into axSpA+pso and axSpA without pso. RESULTS: Psoriasis was documented in 181/1428 axSpA patients (13%). Of 1395 PsA patients, 359 (26%) showed axial involvement. 297 patients (21%) fulfilled the clinical definition and 196 (14%) the imaging definition of axial manifestation of PsA. AxSpA+pso differed from axPsA regardless whether clinical or imaging definition was used. axPsA patients were older, more often female and less often HLA-B27+. Peripheral manifestations were more often present in axPsA than in axSpA+pso, whereas uveitis and inflammatory bowel disease were more common in axSpA+pso. Burden of disease (patient global, pain, physician global) was similar among axPsA and axSpA+pso patients. CONCLUSIONS: AxPsA differs from axSpA+pso in its clinical manifestations, irrespective of whether axPsA is defined clinically or by imaging. These findings support the hypothesis that axSpA and PsA with axial involvement are distinct entities, so extrapolation of treatment data from randomised controlled trials in axSpA should be performed with caution.

Depressive symptoms are associated with fatigue, poorer functional status and less engagement in sports in axSpA and PsA: an analysis from the RABBIT-SpA cohort.

BACKGROUND: In patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), concomitant depression might have a negative impact on the course of disease and treatment outcomes. The aims of this analysis are to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in axSpA and PsA patients in a real-world cohort study and to identify sociodemographic and clinical associated factors for moderate or severe depressive symptoms in both diseases. METHODS: Patients from the RABBIT-SpA cohort with an axSpA or PsA diagnosis and a valid WHO-5 Well-Being Index score at baseline were included. A descriptive analysis of baseline and outcome parameters by category of depressive symptoms was performed and factors associated with the presence of depressive symptoms (moderate or severe) were examined in a logistic regression. RESULTS: Two thousand four hundred seventy patients (1,245 axSpA; 1,225 PsA) were included in the analysis. In both diagnoses, the proportion of patients with moderate depressive symptoms was 8% and 21% with severe symptoms. Patients with moderate or severe depressive symptoms were less likely to engage in sports than those with no or mild depressive symptoms, had more comorbidities and higher scores for disease activity, functional limitations, fatigue, and pain and took more analgesics. In axSpA, patients with a higher disease activity, a greater functional impairment and more severe fatigue were more likely to experience depressive symptoms, while patients with more years in education and engaging in sports for at least 1 h/week were less likely to experience depressive symptoms. PsA patients with a greater functional impairment and more severe fatigue were more likely to experience depressive symptoms while those engaging in sports for at least 1 h/week were less likely to experience depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: We confirmed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in both PsA and axSpA. Factors negatively associated with the presence of depressive symptoms were fatigue, not engaging in sports, and greater functional limitations. Depressive symptoms may affect the perception of disease activity / severity by patients. Thus, depressive symptoms are an important condition in axSpA and PsA that should be considered when evaluating disease activity and treatment outcomes.

The Sensitivity to Change of the ASAS Health Index in an Observational Real-Life Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The Assessment of Spondyloarthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS HI) measures global functioning and health in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) covering domains of physical, emotional, and social functioning. The main aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity to change of ASAS HI in comparison with established variables of disease activity, function, and mental health. METHODS: Patients with axSpA from the disease register RABBIT-SpA with follow-up time of at least 12 months and available ASAS HI questionnaires were included. Patients received questionnaires addressing disease activity (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI], Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score [ASDAS]), physical function (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index [BASFI]), mental health (5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index [WHO-5]), and global functioning (ASAS HI). Standardized response means (SRMs) were calculated to compare the sensitivity to change of different variables. RESULTS: Six hundred and sixty-seven patients were included, 552 treated with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and 115 with conventional synthetic DMARDs and/or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (control group). Between baseline and month 12, the mean ASAS HI declined from 6.9 to 5.1 in the bDMARD group and from 5.9 to 5.6 in the conventionally treated group. In the bDMARD group, the SRM of ASAS HI was 0.52, compared to 0.59 for BASFI, 0.65 for WHO-5, 0.73 for BASDAI, and 0.90 for ASDAS. The following ASAS HI domains were most frequently affected: pain (78% agreed), maintaining body position (75%), and energy/drive (73%). In the patients receiving bDMARDs, there was an improvement in all items. In the control group, the largest improvement was seen in pain. CONCLUSION: As expected, ASDAS and BASDAI as disease activity scores showed high sensitivity to change, whereas changes in physical function (BASFI), mental health (WHO-5), and the broader concept of functioning and health (ASAS HI) were moderate.

Frequency and duration of drug-free remission after 1 year of treatment with etanercept versus sulfasalazine in early axial spondyloarthritis: 2 year data of the ESTHER trial.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were (1) to assess the frequency and duration of drug-free remission and efficacy of etanercept (ETA) treatment after flare in patients with early active axial spondyloarthritis who were treated with ETA (n=40) versus sulfasalazine (SSZ, n=36) for 48 weeks and (2) to analyse the efficacy of ETA treatment in patients in year 2 who did not reach remission at week 48. METHOD: At week 48, patients who reached study remission (Assessment of Spondyloarthritis international Society (ASAS) plus MRI remission) were followed up without active treatment up to 1 year. In case of a flare, patients were treated with ETA for another year. All patients who were not in ASAS plus MRI remission at week 48 were treated with ETA in year 2. RESULTS: ASAS plus MRI remission at week 48 was reached significantly more often in ETA-treated compared to SSZ-treated patients (33% vs 11%, p=0.03). However, the flare rate was not different between these two groups: 69% in the ETA group versus 75% in the SSZ group. Only 8% of patients initially treated with ETA versus 3% of those initially treated with SSZ reached permanent drug-free remission (not significant). After treatment with ETA over 1 year, patients with flare showed an improvement in all clinical and imaging variables. CONCLUSION: Patients with axial spondyloarthritis treated with ETA over 1 year did not reach drug-free remission in a higher percentage compared to patients from a control group treated with SSZ.

Endoleak after endovascular aneurysm repair: evaluation of a single-acquisition CTA protocol using a prebolus.

PURPOSE: To investigate a single-acquisition computed tomographic angiography (CTA) protocol using a prebolus injection technique to visualize the stent-graft lumen and endoleak after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). METHODS: Of 162 EVAR patients referred for CTA over a 2-year period, 18 (15 men; mean age 66.4 years) with an endoleak met the study inclusion criteria, which included constant endoleak size and scans using 3 different CT protocols at least once during follow-up: monophasic CTA (C1), biphasic CTA (C2.1 and C2.2), and single-acquisition CTA using a prebolus (PB). All CTA examinations were performed with the same overall volume of contrast medium (120 mL) and were started manually using a bolus-tracking technique. Attenuation was measured within the aortic lumen proximal to the stent prosthesis (Ao) and within the endoleak itself (EL). RESULTS: Mean attenuation ranged between 200 (C2.2) and 313 HU (C2.1) within Ao and between 172 (C2.2) and 235 HU (C2.1) within the endoleak. The attenuation differences between Ao (C1) and Ao (PB), as well as between Ao (C2.1) and Ao (PB), were not statistically significant, while the attenuations of Ao (C2.2) and Ao (PB) differed significantly (p<0.001), with higher attenuation in PB. Compared to EL (PB), none of the mean EL attenuation values (C1, C2.1, and C2.2) differed significantly. CONCLUSION: This prebolus CTA protocol combines late-phase attenuation of a biphasic image acquisition protocol for endoleak visualization with high opacification of the stent lumen without exposing the patient to radiation twice.

Mobile Responsive App-A Useful Additional Tool for Data Collection in the German Pregnancy Register Rhekiss?

Background: The German pregnancy register Rhekiss is designed as a nationwide, web-based longitudinal observational cohort established in 2015. The register follows women with inflammatory rheumatic disease prospectively from child wish or early pregnancy until 2 years post-partum. Information on clinical and laboratory parameters, drug treatment, and (adverse) pregnancy outcomes are documented in pre-specified intervals. Physicians and patients report data for the same time periods via separated accounts and forms into a web-based application (app). As data entry on mobile devices might improve response rates of patients, a responsive app as a further convenient documentation option was developed. Methods: The Rhekiss-app is available for self-reported data retrieval since August 2017 from the App stores. For the current analysis, Rhekiss register data were used from the start of the register until 30 September 2020. The analyses were performed for forms containing information on devices. Outcome parameters were compared for mobile and desktop users for the quantity and quality of filled forms. Results: In total, 5,048 forms were received and submitted by 966 patients. About 57% of forms were sent from mobile devices with the highest numbers in patients with child wishes (63%). Users of mobile devices were slightly younger and often had less high-education level (62 vs. 79%) compared with desktop users. The proportion of forms submitted via mobile devices increased steadily from 48% in the fourth quarter of 2018 to 64% in the third quarter of 2020. The proportion of forms received before and after the Rhekiss-app implementation increased with the highest increase of 12% for forms filled at time point 12 months post-partum. Mobile users submitted significantly more forms than desktop users (2.9 vs. 2.1), data sent via desktops were more often complete (88 vs. 86%). Conclusion: The responsive app is a valuable additional tool for data collection and is well-accepted by patients as indicated by its increasing use in Rhekiss. Apart from desktop/browser developments, the technological adoptions within observational cohorts and registries should take smartphone requirements and developments into account, especially when patient-reported data in young, mobile patients are collected, bearing in mind that data quality could be compromised and concepts for improving data quality should be implemented.